Teknisk Wereld v2
by Celtic Guardian 7
Summary: The Generals of Hell are now defeated, but that was only the beginning. What happens when yet another group steps out to face the heroes? -COMPLETE-
1. The Peace Has Ended

Welcome to the sequel of Teknisk Wereld! Don't know what that is? Then you had best go to my profile and read it before attempting this one-it will get very, very confusing if you don't know what is going on!

Anyway, thanks for coming, and I hope that this one is just as good, if not better, than my first!

Enjoy!

***Prologue***

In the year 2100, technology had become much more advanced. Now people are spending much of their free hours going to a virtual world known as Teknisk Wereld (translates to Technical World in English). This place is only able to be accessed when turning thirteen. Why? It's a dangerous area-while safeguards usually prevent deaths, serious injuries are still possible. 

Anyway, when turning thirteen, you are given three things: an Envoyant Machine, a Duel Disk, and a Soul Card. The Envoyant Machine is basically a helmet-like device that "transports" your mind to Teknisk Wereld. The Duel Disk generates holograms of the cards that are used in the real world and Teknisk Wereld. Oh, forgot to mention that, didn't I? People carry around decks in both worlds. They are from a game called Duel Monsters. Played for fun and for serious reasons, hardly anyone lacks a deck these days.

Then you have the Soul Card. From this card comes your Soul Monster. This monster, based off one in the Duel Monsters game, is to remain bonded with you for life. Also, this monster is to be your Deck Master in duels. Deck Masters give the game a unique twist; each one comes with a special ability that can turn the duel to your favor.

In Teknisk Wereld v.1, Hope Gales was finally able to go to Teknisk Wereld. There she met most of her best friends; Rue, Max, Will, Claire, and Brandi. She also met their Soul Monsters; Ruecian, Olympion, Neo, Perseus, Mana, and her own, Gaston. When the Generals of Hell began to kill innocents to fulfill the conditions of the Ritual of 1000 Souls, the six teens went out to stop them. Through many sacrifices, Hope was finally able to confront the one they revived; Satan himself. How she managed to survive is still unknown, but apparently there is more to her than meets the eye…

A month has passed since that dreadful day. So far, the friends have had fun just enjoying the thrills of the virtual world. Now that school is over, it should be even better, right?

What they didn't count on was yet another force coming…

***Chapter 1: The Peace Has Ended***

**ONE NIGHT AFTER SATAN'S DEFEAT**

A figure wearing a white cloak was looking up at the sky. It was a clear night-the stars calmed him greatly.

"So, the Generals of Hell have fallen… to a group of teenagers." He shook his head. "My wonders will never cease. Well, I am not complaining. We were going to eliminate them anyway-this saves us some work." He took out a card, and looked at it. "Now we will see… will those same ones come at us?"

A cell phone next to him began to ring. He sighed, and picked it up. "Yes? What is it?" He listened, and smirked. "That's perfect! On the return trip… you understand? Good. I am counting on you-he is one of the strongest. If he falls, then the others should not be a problem. Yes, very well. Now go." He pressed the end button. "This is better than I thought…"

* * *

  


**ONE MONTH AFTER SATAN'S DEFEAT**

Hope ran out of the school building, and down the sidewalk that led to her home.

"Finally, school is over… summer vacation rocks!" She then suddenly remembered she had forgotten her cornet in the band room… yet again. "Dang it!" She turned around and ran back in to retrieve it.

After coming out again, at a much slower pace, she began to walk home, dragging her instrument along. 

"Well, it'll be nice to be able to visit Teknisk Wereld more often," she thought out loud. "Still, it would be much better if Max and Brandi would come on sometime."

For some reason, after leaving Max's house to go back to their normal lives, Max and Brandi had not come to Teknisk Wereld. Hope could not figure out why, and had often tried to call. All she ever got was the message machine though, so she quit attempting that. 

"They must have their reasons…" She decided to get her mind off the subject by recalling what had happened when she had gotten back to school. 

**FLASHBACK**

_Hope walked down the hallway, carrying her books for math class, when she saw Julia, Samuel, and Toan.___

_"Hey Hope!" Julia greeted. "So did you get that black cloaked guy?"_

_"The fugitive?__ Yeah. Will beat him, and he stabbed himself," Hope slightly lied._

_"He killed himself because he lost?!" Samuel exclaimed. "Geez!"_

_"I know!" Hope replied "He was desperate. So, how did the sheep stampede go?"_

_Toan__ rubbed his scarred arm. "I'm the only one who was injured, and it was from Cow. Otherwise, we all managed to teleport out, leaving the officials to be chased by my herd of sheep!"_

_"That's great… I mean that nobody else was injured… oh gosh, I'm going to be late!" Hope realized as she looked at the clock. "Gotta run!"_

_"Just one thing," Samuel interrupted. "Are you sure it wasn't Rue who killed the bad guy?"_

_"Sorry, no time to waste!"__ Hope ran down the hall, praying that they wouldn't follow._

**END FLASHBACK**

Hope shook her head at the memory. "That was embarrassing… oh well." She took out her house key and unlocked the door. "I have more important things to worry about!"

She took out her Duel Disk and attached it to her arm, and then strapped on the Envoyant Machine. 

"After all this time, I still haven't gotten used to this…" she muttered as she pressed the green button on it.

* * *

  


Hope rose slowly, looking around the town she had landed in. A month ago, it had been destroyed by Draken, a General of Hell. However, when Teknisk Wereld's safeguards were restored, the officials repaired the town. All of those who had died in the fires had been mysteriously revived… nobody knew how. Well, nobody but the six teens who had faced Satan, and their Soul Monsters.

Hope made her way to the lake, knowing that was where she would find her friends.

"Hey Hope! Late as usual, I see," Rue noted. "Ok, I play Black Magic Curtain, special summoning Black Magician. Now attack!" He and Will were dueling yet again.

"Sorry for the delay," Hope apologized. She sat down between Claire and Gaston. Neo, Perseus, and Ruecian were there as well. 

"I activate Magic Cylinders. You lose again," Will smirked.

"No fair!" Rue protested.

"Very fair," he contradicted. "So Hope, you're out of school as well?"

"That's right!" she grinned. "Three whole months of summer vacation! It should be fun."

"Of course," Rue agreed, sitting down as well. "You know, even after seeing that thing for a month, it still gives me the creeps."

Hope knew what he was talking about. She lightly touched the orb hanging around her neck. It flashed with light and darkness.

"I still haven't figured out what it does," she shrugged. "Can we talk about something else? Like, where on earth Max and Brandi are?"

"On earth? They should be in South Carolina," Neo joked.

"Haha," Gaston said sarcastically. "We still haven't gotten any word from them… I'm getting kinda worried."

"Indeed," Perseus commented.

"I guess they will come when they are ready," Hope sadly stated. "Anyway…" she looked at her deck. "I've heard of a new Warrior Sub-Type that I want to get. It's only common, so I bet Hector will have it… anyone want to come with me?"

"You go ahead," Rue shrugged. "I'm going to kill Will in a duel first."

"Alright, for the thirty-first time today, let's duel."

"I'd prefer to stay and watch, if you don't mind," Claire decided.

"I'll come with you," Gaston said, rising. "Shall we go?"

* * *

  


After some walking, Hope pushed open the door to the store. "Hi Hector."

"Same to you Hope!" he greeted. "So what are you looking for today?"

"A common Warrior Sub-Type called Chaos Rider, Gustav," she said. "Do you have him?"

"Oh, him? Yeah, I have a few copies. Do you have ten cents? That's how much it costs."

"Ten cents?" Hope raised an eyebrow at the price.

"Yeah, but since I'm such a nice guy, you can just have him for free."

"Thanks!" she smiled, taking the card and inserting it into her deck. "So, any news?"

"None so far, besides the fact that there are rumors of some new guy around here. Don't know much about him though."

"Well, there are always new people coming," Hope shrugged. "What's so different about this guy?"

"He's older than thirteen. That's the main point."

"A late start?" Hope inquired.

"Probably. He's only been seen once, to add to the mystery of things. Meh, I don't know. It's probably nothing."

"Ok… thanks again for the card!" Hope walked out, calling back, "See you later!"

* * *

  


"So you think that might help?" Gaston asked as they walked towards the lake. 

"Yeah, most likely. He has a pretty good ability," she assured.

"What does he do?"

"Well, if you remove…" then Hope stopped. 

"What's the matter?" Gaston asked.

She didn't appear to hear him.

Someone was running toward them. Hope recognized the girl instantly, even though she was wearing different clothes since last time; a faded khaki skirt and a sleeveless red shirt. Her hair was down, instead of a pony tail, as well.

"Brandi! It's you!" Hope said, shocked, as the girl approached them.

"Yeah, hi. Sorry that I haven't been on lately, but I'm really worried about something."

Hope looked at her curiously. "Alright, what is it?"

"A day after you defeated Satan, Max left, saying he would be back sometime later. Today, I got a call from Matt, saying that he had been to Myrtle Beach, to see his mother. Then he left, saying to call in a month to make sure he had made it home ok. Well, Max still isn't there. Have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't. Everyone has been really worried about you and Max. I'm glad you're ok, but Max…" Hope trailed off.

"Yeah… if you see him, please let me know right away!" 

"I will. Good luck."

"Thanks…" Brandi then ran towards the town.

"I don't like this…" Gaston muttered. 

"If the General's of Hell were still around, I wouldn't either. But they're gone now… so there really isn't anything that could harm Max," she pointed out.

"True. But still…"

"I know. I'm uneasy too."

By this time, they had reached the others. Hope quickly explained the situation to them.

"Sounds bad," Rue commented. "What should we do?"

"There really isn't much we can do, besides keep an eye out for Max," Will said. "I doubt he is Teknisk Wereld though… he wouldn't come here without reassuring Brandi first." He thought for a moment. "Well, I can search around South Carolina for him. I'll go right now. See you all later. Neo, you coming?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm going home as well," Rue decided. "I have a summer project, and I'm going to finish it. Let's meet back here in a week, ok?"

"Sounds good," Hope agreed. "Let's get going."

They all teleported out, the Soul Monsters following.

* * *

  


**THREE DAYS LATER**

It was nighttime, and Hope was bored. She had just finished her cornet practice, and didn't know what she would do next.

"You can come out now Gaston!" she called.

He opened the door and walked in, still rubbing his ears. "Even in the living room, I could still hear that accursed thing."

"Sorry, but I have to practice," Hope said sheepishly. "I'll only improve over time."

"I'm sure… so what are you going to do now?"

She began to explain her options. "I could play Disgaea, and try to finally get to the Cave of Ordeals…"

"Please don't," Gaston interrupted. "You've been playing that game for three days straight."

She sighed. "Oh all right. I could always read Eragon again…"

"You've read that five times."

"…OR we could go on a walk."

"I like that option."

She stood up. "Then it's settled."

* * *

  


It was a clear night, and Hope enjoyed walking around the nearby park. Basically an area with many trees and healthy grass, it was one of the few areas here that they classified as natural.

"It's been an hour," Gaston broke the silence. "Want to head home?"

"I guess," she shrugged. "Let's get going."

Hope was tired from the walk, and while they could go home the long way, she had other ideas.

"I know of a shortcut around here. I don't often use it, because it requires going through an alley that looks very creepy, day or night. Since you're here though, I think it would be an easier method of getting home."

"Whatever you want," he replied. 

Hope found the alley quickly, and they began walking down it. After a few minutes of quiet, Gaston suddenly grabbed Hope's arm.

"What's the matter?"

"There's someone up ahead… let me go first."

She nodded, and he moved ahead slowly. As they approached, Hope could soon see the person.

"Who…?" Gaston wondered.

In an instant, Hope suddenly had an idea.

"No… oh Lord…" she ran forward to the figure. "It can't be…"

The teen had apparently collapsed, and made no movement when Hope kneeled down in front of him.

"Max!" she whispered. "What happened to you…?"

His cloak was the only way Hope had been able to recognize him, for now he was wearing a very dark blue shirt. But that wasn't what had caught Hope's attention.

All over his body were cuts, bruises, and burns, mainly on his legs. His chest looked pretty bad as well. What was the most horrifying was his left arm though. On it was his Duel Disk, but it was hardly recognizable. It was as if the thing had exploded; it was a twisted piece of metal, completely black. His cards were nowhere to be found. His wrist was in a very weird position; Hope immediately realized it was probably broken, or something similar. His arm was also burned much more severely than any other part of his body.

"No… he can't be dead…" Hope frantically grabbed his right wrist, and was relieved to find a pulse. "Oh thank God… it's a good thing I have my cell phone with me…" She brought it out, and dialed 911. "Hello? Yes, my friend is injured severely. No, I'm not sure how… it's an alley by the game store… yes, that's the one. Don't try to move him? I didn't plan on it… yes, I can wait here with him. Thanks." She pressed the end button. "They should be here shortly. Until then, we just wait."

"Will he be ok?" Gaston asked, worried.

"I don't know… hopefully." She then had a thought. "Wait a minute… all of his cards are gone! What if…" She reached into his cloak pockets, and sighed with relief. "Here's Olympion's Soul Card…" She looked at it in shock. "But he isn't in it… where is he then?"

"You had best hold on to that," Gaston advised. 

"Yeah…"

After a few anxious minutes, Gaston stood. "I think they're here."

A few doctors were walking towards them.

"Gaston, come into your Soul Card for now. I'll tell you what happens later."

He nodded, and vanished.

"Good, we got the correct location," one of them said. 

Another one was examining Max. "You did well to call immediately."

"Is he going to make it?" Hope inquired nervously.

"It looks more serious than it is, but I can't be sure," she replied. "You want to come with us?"

"Of course."

"Dan! Get her to the ambulance. We'll be right behind you."

"Sure. Come on, let's go."

Hope followed him into the ambulance. Soon after, the other doctors arrived, carrying a stretcher. They put it into the ambulance as well. The woman who had talked to Hope previously also stayed in the back.

"Ben, Jacob, get to the front. We need to get back quickly!"

"Yes ma'am," Ben said as they jumped in.

* * *

  


The ride there was a tense one. Hope couldn't get over her fear that Max might be…

"Don't worry so much," the woman said kindly. "I think he will be fine. Still, we have to check at once."

She nodded.

"By the way, I'm Alice. You?"

"Hope…"

"You said you're a friend of this boy?"

"That's right. His name is Max."

"Do you know where his family is?"

Hope shook her head. "Let me ask his sister… she'll know what to do…"

"Ok then."

_I don't even know who his mother is, and his father and step father are dead… I hope Brandi can get here soon…_

* * *

  


At last, they arrived. Hope was asked to stay in the waiting room as Max was checked over.

The first thing she did was take out her cell phone, and call Brandi.

"Brandi speaking."

"Hey, this is Hope. Listen, I have some good and bad news."

"Like…?"

"The good news; I found Max. The bad? He's badly hurt."

"What?!"

"The doctors are looking over him now. Don't panic; they said he would probably be ok. Still, I need you to come down to Illinois as fast as you possibly can. I'll give you more details here."

"Right. I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks."

The line went dead.

"Well, now that's out of the way…" She then called the rest of her friends. Their reactions were basically the same; they wanted to come as quickly as possible to Illinois, and assured they would be their soon.

"And now that's done," she sighed, finally hanging up. She was glad that she had left Rue for last; he would not shut up for ten minutes straight, asking what the heck had happened. After calling her mom, and explaining where she was, she put the phone away.

"Now I wait…"

Hours seemed to pass, until the doctor finally called her over.

She looked at his nametag before addressing him.

"Dr. Watson, will he be ok?"

"He should be… I am waiting for him to wake up right now, to see how he copes. His left wrist was fractured, but should heal over time. Some of the metal from his Duel Disk was imbedded into the skin of his arm, but I managed to remove it. Depending on his reaction when he wakes, he might be able to go home tomorrow morning, as long as he does not move around too much."

"That's really good to know," Hope smiled in relief. "Can I see him?"

"I guess there is no problem in that… but I must ask you something. Do you know what caused these injuries?"

"I have no idea," she admitted. "It was pure luck that I found him."

"Very well… I do not know how this could have happened, personally. I'm not sure I want to know either."

They walked into the room where Max was. His left arm was bandaged, and he had a few other cuts bandaged as well, but otherwise he looked somewhat decent.

Hope walked over and kneeled down beside the bed. "He looks a lot better than before…"

"It was not as bad as it appeared, luckily."

"I'm extremely grateful…" She trailed off as she saw Max begin to stir. 

He opened his eyes slowly, and then sat up very slowly.

"Max! Are you ok?" Hope asked.

He looked over at her, and immediately recoiled.

"What's the matter?" she asked, worried. 

He looked around the area, his eyes full of panic. "What's going on? What is this place?"

"It's ok!" Hope assured. "Calm down Max."

He didn't respond.

"Max?"

He looked at the doctor questionably.

"I was afraid something like this would happen…" the doctor sighed. 

"What? What's happening?" Hope inquired.

"I'm afraid your friend has amnesia."

* * *

  


He smiled grimly.

He had known that eventually his foe would slip up, and he finally had. Now they stood a chance. As soon as the opportunity arouse, he would make his move.

_We have waited so long already… we can wait a little bit longer._

To be continued…


	2. Fate’s Cruelty

Yugifan2004: I am still impressed that you did that. o_o I am very happy you liked my old fic, and hope that you enjoy the new one!

Jon Soloman: _ _ Yup. And it might seem unfair, but Hope was gonna lose if she didn't get help. x_X;;; Hope you enjoy this as well!

Artemis of the Moon: Thanks! ^_^ Yeah, I agree, a little offensive to those religious. Well, it isn't meant to be. =/ I just wanted something original, and I succeeded, if I do say so myself. =P

Whispering Hope: Yep. Rough times ahead with Max like this. x_X Ah well. Lucky for you I update a lot, huh. _;;;

***Chapter 2: Fate's Cruelty***

Hope looked at the doctor immediately. "WHAT?"

"It's true…" he stated sadly. "Your friend has no memory of who he is, or who you are. He won't remember anything about his life either. One of the worst things that can happen to someone…"

"There's got to be some cure!" Hope protested.

"I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do. His family, and friends, will have to help him through this. Maybe, someday, he will recall… until then, I cannot say what will happen."

Hope sank back into a chair, holding back her tears. _Poor Brandi… she will be crushed…_

"The good news is that he can go home. Did you contact his parents?"

"…I contacted his sister. She's the only one I could reach. She'll help out. Until then, my mother will take care of all the official forms."

"That will work, I guess." He began to write on his clipboard. "Come back at around nine tomorrow. You can bring him home then."

"Thanks…" Hope rose to leave.

Max attempted to rise, but collapsed trying.

"You shouldn't be trying to move around," the doctor said to him gently. 

"I don't… want to stay… here… alone…" Max whispered.

Hope stared at him for a few seconds, and then turned to the doctor. "Sir, can I please stay with Max tonight? He doesn't know what is going on, and maybe having someone nearby will help?"

The doctor looked at his watch, and sighed. "Normally, visitors are not allowed overnight, but I'll make an exception this time."

"Thanks," she replied. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Right; good night."

Then he closed the door, turning out the lights as he went. The moonlight from the window made it easy enough to see though.

Hope quickly called her mom. "Hey mom, I'm staying at the hospital. Yeah, my friend, he has a serious problem… yeah, amnesia… it's really bad. Can he stay at our house until his sister comes to pick him up? Yeah, only a short amount of time… thanks mom, good night." She shut off the phone.  
Hope then made herself as comfortable as she could on the chair, and decided to try and fall asleep, knowing that Max needed the rest as well. Still, she had to ask a few questions.

"Max… you don't remember anything? Nothing at all?"

He turned to her. "Am I Max?"

She nodded. "Yes… your name is Max."

"I… don't know… anything… nothing at all…" He thought for a minute. "Except… for you…"

"What? You know who I am?" Hope inquired.

"Not your name… but I knew… how you looked. That's why… I traveled… all this way… I knew you would help… I don't know how though…"

_But why me?__ Why not Brandi? I mean, she's his sister!_ "Does the name Brandi sound familiar?"

"No…"

"…What about Jason? Randall? Rue? Will? Claire?"

"I do not know any of them…"

"Olympion?"

"Nothing…"

Hope shook her head. "Then… I don't know what to do…" She paused. "I'm called Hope, ok? Refer to me by that. Now we should get some rest… we're going to have some rough times ahead."

"…Ok…"

*****

Hope woke up slowly, hearing something. Her cell phone was ringing. Luckily, Max had not woken up, so she ran into the hall and picked it up.

"Hope here… hi mom. You're coming? Yeah, please bring the car, he shouldn't be walking that much. Thanks, see you soon." She then hung up, and walked back into the room she had left.

She was surprised to see that Max was tossing and turning, as if having a nightmare. Hope ran over and shook him awake.

"Are you ok?"

Max was panting, with a wild, frightened look in his eyes. "A… monster…"  
"What?"

"A big… blue… monster…"

"A big, blue monster? Do you remember anything else?"

"It… attacked me…"

_What on earth…? What could he be imagining? I can only think of one thing that fits that description… the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Or maybe the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Could it be one of those?_

"Try to forget about it," she advised. "Listen, my mom is going to bring us to my house, ok? You need to rest, so we'll help you recover there."

"Oh… thanks…"

*****

The trip to Hope's house was uneventful. When they got there, Hope helped Max get to her room. Since she had bunk beds, Max was allowed to sleep on the bottom one, which was currently occupied by a bunch of Lord of the Ring, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and RockMan action figures. Hope threw them all into her closet, and made it so that Max could actually sleep in it.

"Max, you aren't to move around for quite some time, ok? Just stay in bed."

"…Alright…"

Hope picked up Dracula and read for about an hour. By then, Max was asleep, and she was able to quietly slip out.

She held up her Soul Card, and allowed Gaston to emerge.

"So what's the deal?" he asked.

She explained everything to him.

"Awful… and we have no idea who did it?" She shook her head. "Then there isn't much we can do, right? Poor Brandi though…"

"Oh, that's right!" Hope exclaimed. "I forgot to call her again!" She dialed the number and waited. After a minute, she hung up with a sigh. "No answer… she must already be coming here."

"This will be devastating…" He sighed. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"You can just relax, or something. I'm going to play Gameboy Advance… I still need to beat FreezeMan's scenario in MegaMan Battle Network 2. With headphones, I can remain in the room if Max needs something…"

"I'll stay in the front room. If anyone makes it here today, I'll let you know."

"Thanks."

*****

It was the evening by now. Max had only woken once, and had soon fallen asleep afterwards. Hope was tired of not moving around, and walked out of the room.

"Curse that FreezeMan!" Hope complained. "I only have to go through the longest event EVER to get to him!"

"Dare I laugh?"

"No, you don't," Hope glared at Gaston. "I'm sick of staying in this house… I want to go for another walk. You up for it?"

"I guess…"

"Hang on a second." She grabbed some scratch paper, and wrote a small note. Then she put it on the nightstand next to Max. Then she closed the door behind her. "Alright, now I'm ready."

*****

"It's another nice night," Gaston noted.

"Yeah…" Hope looked around the park. "I hope nothing bad happens this time."

"It's doubtful," Gaston pointed out.

"Still… those wounds that Max has… I am getting a bad feeling about this."

*****

Running… running… running… and not stopping…

That was his only thought. He was determined to get away.

Blood fell from the wound on his leg. It took everything he had to ignore the searing pain that coursed through it with every step he took.

If he had been alone, even with this injury, he would have easily been able to outrun his pursuers. However, his companion was still unconscious. He was forced to carry her, and that slowed him down greatly. Combined with the wound he had received, most people would be surprised that he could move.

But he was stronger than most ordinary humans. And he had determination on his side.

"Over there!" He swore softly. They were catching up. If it came down to a fight, he would lose easily. Having to guard her and fight with an injured leg would not only make his attention divided, but he liked close range battles. And they had long range weapons. That negated any thoughts of turning around and destroying them.

"Awaiting orders sir!" one man shouted.

"Do not kill it! Aim for the other leg! I don't care how strong it is; it will NOT be able to run with two injuries to the legs!"

The gunshot echoed through the night.

Pain spread throughout his body as he collapsed. He noted with grim satisfaction that they had missed his leg, hitting him in the shoulder instead.

"Looks like he's down."

"You idiot! You hit the neck! He must be dead already!"

"The boss will NOT be pleased with this, you know."

"Forgive me! Moving targets are much harder to hit you know!"

"We know, but the boss doesn't. You're going to have to answer to him."

"Argh… but what about the other one?!"

"It's already dead, I wager. Took a hit right to the head. Nothing can save them now… let's go."

He heard the five men walk away, and he breathed a silent sigh of relief. Even if they had not made it out alive, they were free to die.

It was better than being captured by them.

*****

"What was that?!" Hope exclaimed as she heard the sound tear through the silence.

"A gunshot?" Gaston unsheathed his sword. "We'd best look into this."

"Yeah!" They ran towards where they had heard the noise.

Hope suddenly halted. "Gaston, over here!"

He sheathed his sword. "What is it?"

She was looking at some grass stained red. "Blood…"

"Does it trail?"

She nodded, and they followed the gruesome path quickly. Hope soon caught sight of two figures ahead. 

"They must be the ones injured…" Gaston murmured.

Hope approached cautiously.

There was a boy and a girl. The boy wore a black, short sleeved t-shirt, and black pants. He had no shoes, which struck Hope odd, but there were more intriguing features than that. His black hair was very long, going down to about his waist. His left leg was bleeding, as was his right shoulder. His arms were covered with scars, old and new. 

The girl did not look much better. Her clothes were identical to the ones that the boy had, except they were white instead of black. She too lacked shoes, and her arms were covered with similar scars. Her long, silver-white hair fell at about the same location her companion's was. Although Hope could not establish why, as she saw no wounds, the girl was unconscious.

"Oh gosh… that boy… he's hurt really badly!" She ran up to him. "Two wounds… it's very serious!"

She reached out to feel his arm, when suddenly his eyes snapped open. To her shock, they were yellow, and seemed to pierce through her.

The boy growled softly, trying to rise, holding out his hand. Hope noticed then that his fingernails were longer than usual, and very sharp.

Then he collapsed, exhausted by a simple act.

"Gaston! We need to get these two to a hospital!"

"I agree." He picked up the boy, and looked at Hope. Again, she was stunned.

When he had been moved, the boy's hair had been moved away, revealing his ear. But… it wasn't _human_. Even though it was in the same location as a human ear, it was triangular, and covered with black fur.

"Gaston… his ear…"

He looked at it, and his eyes widened. "Geez… it's more like a dog's ear than anything. What on earth is he?"

Hope shook her head. "Change of plans. We can't have a hospital see this; just think about what they would say!" She was examining the girl, and noticed that her ears were in the same condition, except that they were covered with white fur. "We need to bring them to my house… I don't know how we can get both back at once though…"

"What's going on here?"

She looked up, and saw someone approaching. Four figures, actually. A boy, a girl, and their Soul Monsters.

"Rue! Ruecian! Claire! Perseus! Thank goodness you've arrived! I need your help… Ruecian, can you please carry this girl?"

He reached down and lifted her easily. 

"Who are they?" Rue asked.

"I'm not sure… but we need to help them. I don't know how though…"

"Take them to a hospital, what do you think?"

"No!" She showed them the dog-like ears the girl had. He jumped back.

"Whoa! Ok, I see what you mean. Still, won't the boy die if he's left like this?" Rue asked.

"We can deal with that later!" Hope stated. "Let's get them to my house, and quick!"

"Don't worry about it," Claire interrupted. "I can heal him, with the proper equipment. I've taken many classes that involve healing, and I think I can help."

"That's really good," Hope nodded. "Mom can get the supplies needed. Now, no delaying!"

*****

In a few minutes, they were there. Hope immediately went to her mom, and urgently explained that she would be having four friends staying over as well, one of them injured.

"Four?!"

"Come on mom!"

"I'm only letting them in because one is injured! If any more come…"

"I get the point mom!"

They ran into the guest room, the Soul Monsters retreating into their Soul Cards. The girl was lain on one of the two beds there (one which was temporary-Hope's mom was still trying to sell it). Claire immediately looked over the girl.

"No problems here… just unconscious. Probably a head injury… we'll see how she feels when she comes around. The boy is much more serious." She began to lightly examine his leg. "A bullet wound… with the metal probably still imbedded. It will all depend on his physical endurance." She than opened the first aid kit that Hope's mom had lent, and stared. "Wow Hope… your mom must be a worrier by nature. Just LOOK at all these medications and tools! I have everything I need right here." She began to set aside certain ones that were necessary, and began working.

Rue soon complained that the tension was too much for him, and asked Hope if he could get on her computer. She absentmindedly said that it was in the office, and watched Claire continue her work.

"And… ok, I finally have it." Hope winced as Claire slowly drew out a bullet from his leg. "He's really lucky… if it had gone any deeper, I couldn't have removed it. The shoulder injury is fairly shallow as well…" After a few minutes, she extracted that one as well. "Now all I need to do is clean the wounds, and dress them…"

Finally, the long task was over. Claire pulled the sheets over the form of the boy. "All we can do is wait. I'm going to see what Rue is up to; you coming?"

"In just a second; I'm going to straighten up this first aid kit."

"Thanks," Claire said before leaving.

So much stuff had been scattered, that it took five whole minutes to put it in order again. 

Hope slid it under the bed with a sigh. Then she stood, looking over at the girl's bed again.

And saw the girl slowly opening her yellow eyes.

To be continued…


	3. Tragedies

And yet again, no comment.

***Chapter 3: Tragedies***

Hope walked over to the girl's bed cautiously.

"Are you alright?"

The girl slowly sat up, wincing as she nodded. "Yes… I'm fine…" She then caught sight of the boy, and struggled to get up. "Fell! What happened to him?"

"Don't try to move yet," Hope commanded. "He's been injured, and has already been looked over. Depending on his physical strength, he should make it."

The girl hesitated, then lay down again. "Then he should be alright… his physical endurance surpasses most humans… how was he wounded?"

"Two bullets, one in the leg and one in the shoulder. Luckily, neither bullet went in too far."

"That's good to know…" 

There was an uneasy pause, before Hope decided to explain her wonders.

"…This might be a personal question, but can… I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"…Your ears…"

The girl touched them absentmindedly. "These things? So you saw them…"

"Unintentionally."

The girl was silent for a few minutes. Then…

"You saved Fell, so I'll tell you… on one condition."

"Fell… he's the boy?" Hope inquired.

"Yes. I am called Larka," she explained.

"What's the condition?"

"That you promise to tell nobody else… keep it to yourself."

Hope nodded. "Alright. I promise not to tell anyone."

"I don't know why I trust you… but thanks." Then Larka began to tell of her horrible past.

"Fell and I are brother and sister… twins, to be more precise. Although I have never known our exact birthdates, I do know we were born on a full moon. That's one reason on why this whole thing occurred."

"I do not remember anything of our previous life, but when we were six, invaders came. Our parents were killed in front of our eyes, and we were taken away."

"Why? A scientist needed us. He needed two humans, preferably young ones, which were born on a full moon, with corresponding DNA. That leads to us… a rarity. Why not take us?"

"For ten years we have lived a life of torture in that lab of his. The scientist… even when we were young, he didn't soften the pain. Injections, surgeries, so much more, I cannot begin to explain the life we were forced to live. If suicide had been possible, it would have happened a long time ago. But he was careful, and never gave us the chance… he has many lab assistants. Two of them, his most loyal, were assigned to keep an eye on us."

"I was not sure what he meant to do, but one day, when I was around ten, I heard him talking on a phone, saying that "his specimens" for the project were coming along successfully. Also, the two assistants were talking in whispers one day. Our hearing is enhanced… what many would never hear can be heard as a normal voice to us. I managed to hear one referring to something he called, the "werewolf project". So that was it… he was attempting to turn us from humans to monsters. You thought our ears resembled dogs? That's a close guess, but they are actually meant to be wolf ears."

"Of course, "werewolf project" isn't what the official name was, but it gave us the idea of what was going on. Fell was determined to get away, one way or another. He told me that we would escape, someday…"

"Fast forward to last week. Six year ahead, basically, since we are sixteen now. That is just a guess, but we have seen dates recorded into the scientist's lab book, so we can roughly guess our own age based on that."

"Anyway, we aren't the only specimens he was working on. He had another… we didn't know anything about it, except that it had never been human. That slightly relieved us. Anyway, one of the two loyal lab assistants he had, the older of the two, was killed when the beast managed to escape the glass prison it was confined in… the scientist had made the creature far too strong. The younger one shot the beast, hitting its forehead, slaying it instantly."

"Furious at this, the scientist decided to focus entirely on us. Much to his disgust, he employed an inexperienced assistant to take the place of the older one that had died."

"This was the chance Fell had wanted… he said that the new one would make a mistake eventually. And this morning, he did."

"The scientist… I never gave you his name, did I? He is called Viken… he had to leave for a few minutes, and ordered for the lab assistants to get Fell ready for another experiment…"

"There is a unique way they handle us. They have these things that are like tranquilizer guns… but they don't put us to sleep… they paralyze us instead. It has a long-lasting effect…"

"The inexperienced guard shot through the small opening at Fell, hitting his arm. But the problem with the guns is that the liquid must enter the bloodstream through a vein. This man had missed the vein, so it didn't even harm Fell… of course, he acted like it had."

"Before the other assistant could warn him, the new one opened the tube that they kept Fell in. He instantly killed both. Our fingernails are more like claws, and his strength is great… it is no challenge to rip a person to shreds. They didn't stand a chance."

"He released me, and we both ran out… again, our running speed is amplified. At the end of the hall though, we ran into two more guards. Fell dispatched one… and that's all I remember." Larka rubbed her head. "The other one probably managed to hit me over the head…"

She sighed. "There you have it. Now do you see why I was unsure about sharing this with a stranger? We cannot trust many… I trusted you because you helped us, and because… I don't know, just an instinct, and I trust my instincts. But Fell… he does not trust anyone but me. I doubt that he will accept you quickly." 

Hope nodded. "I can see why… that's just… I can't…"

"You don't have to show sympathy. What's done is done… although where we will go now, I do not know."

"Until you heal, you can stay here," Hope volunteered. "My mother already gave permission."

"We owe you a lot…" Larka said. "Thanks… maybe you could do one last thing?"

"…?"

"I will look after my brother's wounds for now. I don't know much about healing, but I know enough to look after him now."

Hope pulled out the first aid kit again. "Ok. We'll leave you both alone until you are ready to speak."

"Again, thanks."

*****

"Come on…" Rue muttered, clicking on a card and then a slot to put it in. "Be an idiot… be an idiot… damn it!" He swore as the other player made their move. "An Assassin in the right corner! And Plus is on! Damn it!"

"Lose again?" Claire joked.

"Hey! Unlike Duel Monsters, I win a lot here! Rats, Ante was on as well… and he took… oh good, just my Celia… I have doubles of her…"

"What on earth are you playing?" Hope asked, walking in.

"Triple Triad Advance. It's a card game you can play over the internet. It's almost as good as Duel Monsters."

"I'm sure," she replied. "Hey Claire, the girl woke up. I asked how she was feeling, and she said she was fine. She also said that she would prefer to look after her brother from now on."

"Ok, as long as that's what she wants. Who are they, and what happened to them?"

"They will introduce themselves later, and explain if they want to," Hope said firmly.

"Alright then… so where are we going to sleep?" Rue inquired.

Hope facefaulted. "I forgot about that! Be right back."

She ran downstairs. After a few minutes, she was back up.

"We have a couch, and a sleeping bag. You guys choose who gets what."

"I call the couch," Claire told her brother.

"Yeah, yeah… hey, wait a minute!"

"Thanks!" She ran off, ignoring her brother's snarls.

Hope left too, calling back to Rue to shut down the computer when he was done.

She quietly entered her room, and was glad to see that Max had not woken up. She threw the note she had left into the trash can, and then got into her bed and fell asleep.

*****

"Hey, Hope! Wake up already!"

"Alright, I'm up," Hope moaned, sitting up. "Rue? What the heck are YOU doing in MY room?"

"I was sent by your mother to get you up. Don't kill the messenger."

"I'm resisting the urge to," she muttered, climbing down the ladder she used. "Ok, I'm coming, now get out!"

"Gladly." He ran out.

She sighed, and realized she had not changed out of her clothes last night. Shrugging it off, she slipped into the bathroom to change, and then ran downstairs.

"Morning," she greeted her mom, who was making pancakes, and Claire.

"Same to you," Claire replied. 

"Good morning. Would you please get the newspaper?"

Complaining all the way, she opened the door and grabbed it. She looked at the headline, and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Rue asked.

"It looks like Will and Neo arrived last night," she giggled.

"Huh? Did I miss something?"

Hope showed him the headline, which read, **_"Bed and Breakfast's Kitchen Explodes"_**

"Looks like Neo's up to his old tricks," Rue laughed. "I'd hate to be him right now."

"Me too." She flipped through the other pages. "Looks like nobody discovered the blood in the park… good thing it was a secluded area. Ah, here we go… **_"Gunshot Heard In Park"_**, but they found nobody injured. Good…"

A knock at the door startled them. Hope threw the newspaper at Rue, who barely managed to catch it, and opened the door. 

"Oh gosh… what on earth happened to you?" she exclaimed.

"I got in the way of a deranged cook, that's what," Will growled. He was covered with ash. "I take it you saw the newspaper?"

"So Neo was the one who did that?"

"Obviously. Right now, he's cowering in his Soul Card, while I am contacting my insurance company, ordering them to pay for the destroyed kitchen. I just came to say I was here; I'll be right back after I change clothes." He then ran off.

"Hey mom! Save some pancakes, would you?" Hope called.

"Sure! Why?"

"I have another friend coming over."

"YOU WHAT?!"

Hope ran over to her, and after several minutes of arguing, finally persuaded her mother to let Will, and two others coming, stay for the time being. By then, Will was back.

"Now that that's taken care of… so how is Max?" Will asked.

"Just as I told Rue, I'll tell you; he can't be seen yet, as he is currently sleeping. When he wakes up, you guys can introduce yourselves, but one at a time."

"Introduce?"

"That's right, you didn't know… Max has amnesia."

She explained the whole thing to him, and Will shook his head.

"Terrible. Just awful."

"Yeah, but hopefully, he'll snap out of it."

"Indeed…" Will sighed, and tried to change the subject. "I had been hoping that place would have made something besides bagels or cereal for me, but I've given up on that idea."

"My mom saved some pancakes for you, want those?"

"I'll take them gladly, thanks." He walked into the kitchen.

"So now we are just waiting for Brandi and Matt?" Rue inquired.

"Yes. I don't know when they are coming though…"

"True."

After breakfast was taken care of, the four of them had some tag team duels. The partner's were often switched, and everyone won an equal amount of times, or so it seemed.

"That was fun, but can we take a break?" Rue requested.

"What is on your mind?" Hope asked.

Rue brought out a PS2 memory card. "I noticed you own a Playstation 2… got any good games on it?"

"I have Disgaea."

"Congratulations on getting one of the best games in existence. Now please excuse me while I go play it." He ran off to the family room, Claire following at a slower pace.

Will got out a book titled Lord Brocktree. "I think I'll just read. In the office, preferably, as far away from that game as I can get."

"Go ahead. I'm staying in the living room." She got out Dracula again, and was soon absorbed in the book.

At around three, another knock sounded at the door. She got up, and opened it again.

"Brandi! Matt! Hi!"

"Yo," Matt greeted. He had lost the sweatshirt he used to wear, revealing the lime green shirt he wore underneath it. Brandi was wearing the same thing Hope had seen her with in Teknisk Wereld.

"So where is Max?" Brandi asked.

"…" Hope sighed heavily. "Brandi… I hate to tell you this… but Max… he has amnesia! He didn't respond to anything; his own name, Olympion's, any of ours, mine, not even yours! I'm so sorry…"

Brandi stared at her in shock for a few minutes, then looked at the ground. "I see…"

"He's… asleep, currently. When he wakes up, I'll tell you, and you can see him… ok?"

She just nodded.

Matt was devastated at the news, yet he masked it. "Brandi, listen to me…"

Hope caught his eye and nodded in understanding; they wanted to be alone.

She walked into the family room, and saw Rue playing Disgaea. Despite the sad news she had been forced to relay, she couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Come on! Laharl, use your dratted Nightsever already! Wait, no… DAMN IT! I HATE YOU BAAL!"

Claire was laughing. "And you lose to him yet again."

"Shut up!" he snarled. "What's the matter Hope?"

"Brandi and Matt arrived," she explained.

"I see…" he went over to the PS2 and shut it off, so that the Game Over screen disappeared. "So we had best all talk about what we're going to do next, huh?"

"That's the main point," Hope nodded.

To be continued…


	4. Learning

And again, no comment. 

***Chapter 4: Learning***

"You have failed me for the last time."

"Sir…"

"I ordered for them to be brought ALIVE. Ones who cannot understand such simple commands do not deserve a place in the living."

"Sir, please…!"

The explosion echoed through the room. The man had taken the bullet in the heart.

The smoking gun was then set aside. "At least bring me their bodies. We cannot let the public know about this."

"Yes sir!" the remaining assistants replied.  
*****

Everyone met in the family room. Rue, Claire, and Will occupied the couch, while Brandi and Matt chose a chair for themselves. Hope sat on the floor, not really caring. 

"Ok, a few things we need to discuss," Hope began. "First of all… Max… we all know what condition he is in… do you really want to stay Brandi?"

She nodded.

"Alright… we know what the aftermath is, but not how it happened. Who could have done this? If it had just been a normal fight, it could be understandable… I mean, Max is strong, but anyone can be outnumbered in a gang fight or something. But… his Duel Disk EXPLODED. That causes some serious concern… we can easily replace it, and I plan on sending in a notice today, asking for a new one. But who did it?"

"Does Max have any memories?" Will inquired.

"…Only one… I don't know why, but he remembered what I look like. That's why he dragged himself all the way here…" Hope shook her head. "I don't know why… he said that he felt I would help. I don't know why he didn't go to Brandi, or maybe Matt. I don't know how he made it either. Maybe he will remember later…"

"As interesting as that is, it leaves us with no clues," Matt sighed. 

"…Wait! I just remembered something. Two nights ago, he dreamt of a big, blue monster, which he said attacked him. I only know of two things that fit that description: a Blue Eyes White Dragon or Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

"But Olympion would probably be able to counter that reasonably well," Claire argued. "And a hologram can't hurt him. Not seriously, anyway."

"I know." Hope shrugged. "I only know of two duelists that use the Blue Eyes White Dragon anyway. Ifrit isn't smart enough to defeat Max in a duel, and Draken was killed. So who would be using it?"

"True," Rue agreed. "Maybe we are overlooking something? But it will do no good to ponder on it. Our next question is how to help Max."

"We have to go slowly," Hope said. "He will not know any of us. I don't know what his reaction will be to any of you. His reaction to me was ok, but… flooding him with too many things at once will be very threatening to him. I think Brandi should be the first to see him, then Matt, then Rue, then Will, then Claire."

"Why me last?" Claire asked.

"I'm going in the order that he met us. The ones he knew the longest will be most likely to be remembered."

"I agree," Will stated. "We cannot do anything else until he awakens. Is there anything we need to talk about Hope?"

"Max will probably not know how to play Duel Monsters anymore. His cards were gone as well. Who will teach him, and get him a new deck?"

"I will," Matt volunteered. "I can rebuild his Demon Deck, but it will take some time. Some of the cards are quite hard to come by. Until then, I'll let him make a deck from my spares, and teach him how to play."

"That sounds good. Oh, yeah, one other thing. Yesterday, Rue, Claire, and I found a boy and a girl lying in the park. The boy was injured by two bullet wounds. Luckily, Claire was able to take care of them, and he should be recovering at this moment. I had a chance to talk to the girl, and they will talk to us when the boy is better."

"Bringing guns into the open is a bold move," Will commented. "I wonder what was so special about them?"

"I'm not sure," Hope replied, eyeing Claire. Rue was about to comment, but Claire grabbed his arm. He looked at her, and she shook her head no.

"Then it's settled. As long as Neo doesn't blow up my kitchen, you guys can stay here."

Everyone but Will laughed at that. He muttered something under his breath that sounded like, "Idiotic cook."

"I'm going back to my room," Hope announced. "Brandi, I'll get you when Max wakes up."

Brandi nodded again.

*****

Hope put down Dracula about an hour later. She was about half way through the book, and was ready to take a break. 

_How on earth can Will read for five hours straight without pausing?_ she wondered as she climbed down from her bed.

She put the book on her bookshelf for the time being, then turned around to see Max tossing and turning.

_Another nightmare?_ She walked over to him and gently shook his shoulder. "Max, wake up. Hey, Max!"

He came awake quickly, still shuddering.

"What's the matter? Did you have another nightmare?"

"…The same one…"

"Again? And you still don't know what this blue monster is?"

"No…"

Hope sighed. "Well, we have more important things to worry about. Are you up to meeting some people? I'll stay in this room if you want me to, and only one person at a time will come."

"…I guess…"

"Thanks. Hang on a minute; I'll bring in the first person." 

She walked outside, and downstairs to Brandi.   
"Hey, Brandi! He's ready to see you."

She got up at once, and followed Hope to her room, leaving Rue to play Disgaea some more.

"Max, this is Brandi," she introduced, and stood aside to let Brandi in.

Brandi bit her lip, holding her emotions inside as she saw her brother look at her with no reorganization in his eyes.

"She's your sister… you don't remember?" Hope said sadly.

"…No…"

Brandi nodded, then walked out. Hope followed her.

"Are you going to be ok?"

Brandi nodded, striving not to show that she was crying. "He'll remember… someday, he'll remember…"

"I'm sure he will," Hope agreed. "Until then, stay strong for him."

She nodded.

By that time, they were back in the family room, and Brandi sat down again.

"Your turn Matt."

He got up and walked into her room as well.

"This is Matt," Hope explained.

Matt shook his head regretfully. This wasn't the friend he had known… _Who could have been cruel enough to have done this?_

"We were friends…" he told Max. "I also taught you a game that most of us play today. I can teach you it again, if you want to learn it."

"Ok…"

One by one, Hope brought up the others, explaining to Max who they were. He did not know any of them, much to everyone's disappointment.

"I'm gonna kill the bastard that did this to Max," Rue growled as Hope and Claire came downstairs. "Nobody does that to one of my pals and gets away with their head intact."

"All in good time," Will calmly stated. "I say that as soon as Max is able, we go to Teknisk Wereld, to learn more information."

"And like usual, Will knows the right thing to do," Claire said. "I agree with him. Hope, when are you going to go and get him a new Duel Disk?"

"Tomorrow. I'm also going to get him another Envoyant Machine… I just hope I have enough money."

"Don't worry about it," Brandi interrupted. "I brought his old one with me."

"Thanks," Hope grinned. "You've just saved me $100 or so. Maybe more."

Matt stood up. "Hope, can you come with me? I want to teach Max how to play Duel Monsters again, and have him build a deck from all of the spares I have."

"You brought some?" Hope asked.

"Not some; A LOT. I have so many, it isn't funny."

"That's good. Alright, let's get going up there."

*****

Fell slowly opened his eyes, but didn't attempt to move. His leg hurt like hell, and his shoulder wasn't much better.

"Fell! You're ok!"

He turned his head, and saw Larka. She had been watching him.

"Yeah."

"I'm so relieved! You were out all day!"

"Oh…" He looked around. "What is this place?"

"We were assisted by a girl and her friends. They brought us here. Until you are healed, we are free to stay here. Then we can decide where to go."

Fell sighed. "I do not like this…"

"Don't be so suspicious," Larka said. "They helped us, and I liked the looks of the girl. I think we can trust them."

"…" He did not respond, choosing to listen to a conversation next door.

"Ok, see this? It's called a monster card. These are usually vital for most decks. You can attack your opponent with them, reducing their Life Points, or play it in defense, keeping your own safe…" Matt was explaining how to play Duel Monsters, apparently.

"A card game?"

Larka showed him a magazine she had picked up. "Yes. It is a game called Duel Monsters, and it is very important apparently. There is even a virtual world they go to play it, called Teknisk Wereld. To be honest, I'm curious, and would like to know more."

"…"

"You should rest. Try to go back to sleep."

*****

"Are you sure you want to make your deck alone?" Matt asked.

Max simply nodded, picking out a few likely cards.

"Very well then… tell me when you are done."

About half an hour later, Matt was putting up the remaining commons he had.

"You weren't kidding when you said you had a lot," Hope said. She was still amazed at the variety he had displayed.

"Yep. That's what I get for collecting for a long time." He put them into his bag and closed it. "Let's get back downstairs."

"Max, stay here. I'll be back in about five minutes."

Then she came down, and began telling everyone their locations.

"Rue, Claire, you share the couch. Matt, you get the chair in the living room. Brandi, you get the chair here. Will, you get the sleeping bag. Everyone ok? Good. I'm going back up, see you guys tomorrow!"

They walked off to their designed areas.

*****

Matt sighed. He couldn't fall asleep; there were too many thoughts on his mind. He quietly thumbed through his deck, and when he was assured that he had lost nothing, put it away again. 

Then he heard someone coming down the stairs. He turned, expecting to see Hope or her mother.

He was surprised to see that it was a boy with long, black hair. He was limping slightly, but made hardly any noise coming down.

The boy walked up to him, looking at him with yellow eyes. Matt had the feeling he was being inspected.

"…I hate to have to ask for help, but it is necessary." 

"Hm?"

"I heard you teaching another how to play this… Duel Monsters game. I am not sure on how it works. I need to learn how to play the game, and acquire enough materials to play it."

Now interested, Matt nodded. "Ok. I can teach you how to play. If you want, you can also make a deck out of the spares I have. Do you want one for your friend as well?"

"It would be preferred."

Matt began to explain the ground rules. The boy asked no questions, simply listening. When he offered his spares, he looked at one he had selected, and did not hesitate at making it without help. After setting aside a stack of cards, he went through some others, putting them to his other side.

Finally he was done. He grabbed the two decks, and nodded. "I… thank you for your help. If I can, I shall repay you later." Then he limped back upstairs.

Matt shook his head as he put away the rest of the spares.

_What is it about that guy that strikes me odd?_

*****

The next morning, when they were eating waffles, Hope noticed that Brandi and Matt were talking quietly again. Now that she thought about it, she had seen them speaking a lot more than usual…

"So what are the plans for today?" Rue asked, putting his plates by the counter.

"I'm going to get a new Duel Disk for Max," Hope explained. "And Brandi, now I realize that you didn't even need to bring his Envoyant Machine. We have two spares. I completely forgot that mom had gotten them just in case mine died on me."

"Oh well. I brought it, and he can use it," Brandi stated.

"True. After that, we can go to Teknisk Wereld again. Matt, you explained how we used these things, right?"

He nodded, and stood. "Sorry guys, but this is where I make my leave. I have something I need to do back in South Carolina. I wish you all good luck."

A little puzzled, Hope nodded. "Ok. Thanks for coming over."

"Welcome. See you all later." Then he walked out.

"I'm going to get the things right now," Hope decided. "I'll be right back."

*****

Hope was soon back, carrying a new Duel Disk.

"This should work well. You guys can go into the family room. Max and I will be joining shortly." She then got up, and walked to the guest room. She quietly knocked.

Larka came out, closing the door behind her. "Hi. What's the matter?"

"My friends and I are going to a virtual world called Teknisk Wereld. I just wanted to warn you. My mom will still be around, so if you need anything, ask her, ok?"

"Actually…" Larka looked a little embarrassed, but did not hesitate. "Is there any way we can come along?"

"What?"

"Please? I found a rule book on the world, and the card game was described in a magazine. I'd really like to learn more about it, and I'm sure Fell would too!"

"But… isn't he injured?"

"He's already healed enough to move around. I told you that we have more physical stamina than anyone… it makes recovering easy. Please?"

Hope thought for a minute. "We do have two other Envoyant Machines that you could borrow… ok, you can come. If you like it, you can later register and get your own Machine, and Duel Disks. I don't know how you will get decks though… I don't have that many spares…"

"It's alright," Larka grinned. "We'll figure that out later. Thanks for letting us come."

"No problem. Hang on, I'll get the machines." She ran off, and was soon back. "Here you go. Know how to put them on?"

"The rules explained…"

"Then we'll see you there."

"Right."

Then Hope went into her room, and gave Max his Envoyant Machine. "Ready to go?"

"…I guess."

"Then let's go."

She pressed the green button.

*****

"Sir, the bodies were not there!"

"Someone must have already discovered them… damn it to hell!"

To be continued…


	5. The King of Thieves?

First duel. Just like last fic, it happens on chapter 5. CONSPIRACY! _

Whispering Hope: o_O I'm sick as well. Yay?

***Chapter 5: The King of Thieves?***

Hope opened her eyes, and found herself in the area near the lake. She sat up, and looked around, seeing that Rue, Claire, Will, and Brandi had already arrived. A second later, Max appeared as well. Nervous at the unfamiliar surroundings, he instinctively crept a little closer to Hope.

"Looks like we all made it," Will announced, looking around.

"Hold on. Two others are coming," Hope replied.

"Two others?" Brandi gave her a questioning look.

Fell and Larka appeared at the same time. Rue nearly fell over, and Max jumped away in shock. Will and Claire managed to hide their feelings well, although both were surprised.

Larka smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about the sudden appearance. Nice to meet all of you."

Hope noted that their ears were completely covered with their long hair. Deciding not to mention it, she responded, "It's fine. Why not introduce yourself to them?"

"I'm called Larka, and he is Fell," she explained. Throughout this whole time, Fell had not said a word, instead eyeing everything with distrust.

Claire was the first to step forward. "Pleased to meet you as well. I'm Claire, my brother over there is Rue, the girl is Brandi, the other guy is Will, the one in the cloak is Max, and I take it you already know Hope?"

"Yep. I requested that we come to this world, and she agreed." Larka took the time to examine the surroundings. "It's so real… how extraordinary!"

"If you think this is good, just wait until you see a duel," Rue commented. He had apparently set aside the fact that they were unordinary, and was ready to begin searching. "You might actually see one today, depending on if we find the one we are looking for."

"Who is it that you are searching for?"

Again, Hope was forced to explain what had happened. She looked over at Brandi, and was relieved to see that she hadn't broken down again. She seemed more curious about the newcomers, and their yellow, piercing eyes.

"That's just wrong," Larka said with disgust. "I can't believe it! In possibly wide open daylight? I agree; we should find this person as quickly as possible."

Fell had made no movement, even while Hope was telling the tale. She began to wonder if he ever displayed emotions.

"We'll start searching right away, but first we should have our Soul Monsters summoned…" Hope reached into her pocket. "Let's go one at time." Gaston appeared immediately.

"Did I miss something?" he asked, seeing Fell and Larka.

"Yep."

Ruecian appeared next, then Perseus. Mana came out after that, complaining that Brandi had not let her leave the Soul Card for three days. And Will had Neo come last. As he appeared, Will made some quiet threats about what would happen the next time a kitchen was destroyed. When he was sure Neo understood, he turned to Hope.

"Shall we go?"

"Yeah. Where first?"

Rue cast an eye over Max, Fell, and Larka. "While looking for the villain, we could show them around. Let's go completely around the lake, and then into the forest. We can sleep there for the night."

"Sounds good to me," Claire agreed. "Let's move out!"

*****

The day passed uneventfully. Most of the other people were in the town, so they didn't see anyone else. 

What Hope noticed was that the brother and sister were complete opposites. Larka asked several questions about Teknisk Wereld, always curious to know more, falling silent only when someone else was talking. She was quite friendly, and always tried to be polite. Fell, on the other hand, was silent. He never spoke, and was always a short distance away, viewing everything at once, never missing any movement. A loner, she guessed.

"It's getting kind of late," Will noted. "Shall we get to the forest?"

"Yeah, we'd best do that," Rue nodded. "Let's get over there pronto!"

After an hour of walking, they entered the forest. Hope was relieved that there was still some light, an hour's amount at most. They began to search for a spot to make camp. Fell was distracted though, often looking over his shoulder. He couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched, and would have paid more attention, had his leg and shoulder not been paining him so much.

*****

"A group of five, you say?" the boy whispered. 

He was hidden on a thick branch of one of the trees, on the lookout for a certain group of duelists.

"Yes, five. Three girls, and two boys. They should be together. Normally, that other one would be with them, but he's already dead."

"Yeah… shut up a second. Someone's coming."

He cautiously looked at the group, and almost fell off his perch. He quickly pulled himself back with a string of colorful language, which he had to use all of his might to keep quiet. He furiously grabbed the cell phone he was using.

"Yo… are you SURE that the boss had the kid with the cloak killed?"

"Definitely. His whole Duel Disk exploded, for Pete's sake."

He looked again, to make sure, and pulled back before anyone saw him. "Then whoever dueled him was either blind or lying. I saw the guy passing less than ten seconds ago."

"…This had better not be another of your jokes."

"It isn't! Geez, just because I switch your coffee with Turkish coffee, you have to be so suspicious…"

"Alright, alright, I get the point. But him being alive is impossible!"

"Not really, considering I JUST SAW THE GUY!"

"Calm down. Anything else to report?"

"There is another boy and girl with them. Geez, that has got to be the longest hair I have ever seen… haven't they ever heard of a hair salon?"

"You might find more difficulties."

"Hey, no sweat," the boy grinned. "They don't even have Duel Disks with them."

"You are planning on taking the Duel Disks as well?"

The teen sighed. "No way; they'd wake up for sure. I could still get away, but why risk it? They can always get a new one for free."

"Then why did you point out that fact?"

"Because it means that they AREN'T DUELISTS, GENIUS." He rolled his eyes. "Do I have to spell out everything for you?"

"I do not think like a lunatic, unlike you. Tell me how you do." Then the line went dead.

He tucked the phone away, shaking his head. "Yeesh, he's too serious. Just not my style. Ah well." He leaned back against the trunk. "They should be stopping soon… what a lucky break. This forest will be perfect to do my work in." He looked through a small bag at his side. Satisfied that everything was ready, he waited.

*****

Fell heard a tree rustle as they passed. He looked up quickly, but saw nothing. Shaking it off, he continued to follow the group.

"So it is somewhere around here?" Larka was asking.

"Yep. Ah, here we go…" Rue led them into the clearing. Hope recognized it as the place they had stayed a while back. One of the trees was still burned from when Rue had accidentally set fire on it.

Will made the fire this time, and everyone went to sleep instantly. Well, almost everyone.

Larka blinked as she heard someone move, and looked above. Fell had leapt onto the tree limb over her and was now looking at the woods intently.

"Fell? What are you doing up?"

"…I can't sleep…"

"Don't lie. You are keeping watch, aren't you?"

"…"

"Fell, this area is safe. Please try and get some rest-your wounds need it."

"…"

"I'm not going to sleep until you do."

He sighed, and gave in to her protests, falling asleep on the same limb.

She shook her head. "Poor Fell… those years affected him so much more harshly…" She then proceeded to fall asleep.

*****

The teen quietly snuck into the clearing. To his satisfaction, everyone was asleep. He realized that the long-haired boy was missing, but soon spotted him on a tree limb, and relaxed slightly. He then began to quietly approach the nearest person; a girl with the oddest orb around her neck. On her left arm was a Duel Disk, and her deck was in it.

He silently removed the deck from the Duel Disk, making sure he did not make any noise. He repeated the procedure with everyone else there. He then walked away softly, and wiped sweat from his brow at a considerable distance.

"Whew… I still get nervous doing that. Ah well, it worked out in the end. I'm glad the long-haired guy chose to sleep up there though-if it had been anyone with a deck, it would have been extremely difficult." He slipped the decks into the bag he carried. "Now that that's over with, I can get out of here. I'd best report first."

He took out his cell phone, and dialed.

"Yes?"

"Mission accomplished. I got all of their decks. Can I leave now?"

"No, not yet. The boss wants to know what condition the cloaked one is in, as in how the duel affected him. You are to find out."

"Come on! I risked my neck stealing these stacks of cardboard!"

"I thought you said that you could…"

"Of course I can! Still, it doesn't mean that there is no hazard in it! Why can't someone else look into it?"

"Because you are the only one nearby them. Now get ready to follow them."

"This is so unfair dude!"

"Life isn't fair. Now get moving."

"Hey! I'm not done with you!"

Click.

"Damn it… he hung up!" He proceeded to call his instructor several names that would have made any decent person blush.

*****

Someone was shaking her shoulder.

"Hey, Hope, get up already, would you?"

She rose to see Rue. "What's the matter?"

"We have trouble, that's what," Will explained grimly. "All of our decks were stolen overnight!"

"WHAT?!" She looked at her Duel Disk, and sure enough, her deck was gone as well.

"We got owned, and badly," Rue stated. 

"If only I had stayed up, like usual…" Will muttered. "But I thought we were safe. At least we learned that we'll never be completely secure here. From now on, we post sentries."

Larka had woken up to the commotion, and looked up to see Fell still on the tree limb.

"Hey, Fell! Can you please come down and help?"

He opened one eye and looked back down at her.

She sighed in impatience. "Ok, I'm sorry that I was wrong! Now come on down, would you? This is important to them!"

After a few minutes of silence, he jumped down.

"My instincts were correct; we were being followed."

"Why didn't you tell me that you thought someone was stalking us?"

He shrugged, favoring his right shoulder.

"Just great…"

"I found nothing," Brand announced, walking back into the clearing. "Where else can we look though? This is a very large area, and the thief is probably long gone."

"…" Fell turned and looked at a tree that was a short distance away.

"Something wrong?" Larka asked.

"…Someone is over there." 

_Damn it… how the hell did he know I was here?_ The boy ran off, abandoning the thought of staying for more information.

"Guys! Over here!" Larka called. Fell had immediately begun to run after the boy, and she was soon following.

"What the…?" Rue looked around as everyone followed them. "Did I miss something?"

"Just come on!" Hope shouted to him. She had grabbed Max's hand and was leading him in the correct direction.

"At least I'm not the only one who's confused…" Rue muttered as he ran after them.

The thief had been to the forest many times, and knew his way around very well. He knew exactly which paths to take to throw off his pursuers… or so he thought. To his amazement, the long-haired boy was keeping up very easily. In fact, he was overtaking him. 

In a matter of seconds, Fell was right behind him. He lunged, bringing his hands down to tear the thief to shreds, when a barrier suddenly appeared. Fell was thrown back with a snarl. The boy turned to run further, but Larka was standing in his way.

By this time, everyone else had arrived, and saw who the thief really was.

He had a dark green t-shirt and dark blue shorts. His short hair was a light brown, and his eyes were green. Around his neck was a red bandana of sorts, which really stood out.

A Soul Monster appeared next to him. It looked exactly like a human. He wore a very official blue suit, with matching pants, and a long, white cape. The cape was fastened by a small, red bow tie. He also wore black shoes, white gloves, and a white top hat. He had black hair and a very noticeable mustache. His black eyes were something you did not want to look into for very long.

"Well, looks like you caught me," the boy said easily. "Nice to meetcha all. I'm called Miles, the King of Thieves. I can steal anything!"

The Soul Monster rolled his eyes. "He means anything but a woman's heart."

"Would you shut up about my failures and look to my successes, Gen?" Miles complained. "Well, it's been fun, but I have other places to go now… I take it you won't just let me leave quietly?"

"No chance," Rue growled.

"Why steal our decks?" Will inquired.

"Unlike most, I prefer not to have any deaths. You are going to be killed sooner or later, so I volunteered to take the thing that made you dangerous to us."

"Deaths?" Hope asked. "Someone wants to kill us?"

"Yeah. The one in the cloak was already supposed to be dead, but apparently, the one assigned to that job messed up, and big time."

Less than a second later he found himself on the ground, in a stranglehold by Brandi. 

"YOU WERE BEHIND THAT?!"

She was then thrown back by yet another shield. Miles got up, coughing weakly.

"Geez… it's a good thing I set up these Attack Nullifications, or else I'd be a goner…" He felt his neck, and winced. "No, I didn't try to kill your pal… someone else in our group did. It looks like he managed to live, although I don't know how… pretty lucky guy."

"You call amnesia lucky?!" Claire cried.

"Amnesia?" For a second, Hope thought that she saw a sad look in his eyes, but it was gone too quickly for her to be sure. "I see… either way, I need to leave, and now. I have many barriers set up-don't bother trying to stop me. To get your decks back, you'd have to beat me in a duel… but that's kind of impossible, right? So, see ya guys later, if ever!" He then turned to walk away.

"Wait." Fell stepped forward.

"What do you want?" Miles asked.

Fell turned to Hope. "I need to borrow your Duel Disk."

Surprised that he had addressed her, she handed it over to him.

He fastened it on to his left arm easily, and inserted a deck. "You say that if you are defeated in a duel, you will hand over the decks? What is the catch for me?"

Everyone stared at him in shock.

"You had a deck?!" Rue exclaimed.

"What the hell?" Miles snarled. "Damn! I thought I had gotten all of the decks you had… fine then. I'll duel you, and if I win, you relinquish all of the cards in your possession, and you promise not to ever bother me again."

Fell readied the Duel Disk. "Deal."

Fell: 8000

Miles: 8000

"This is Fell's first duel…" Gaston realized. "Won't he be at a disadvantage?"

"We'll see soon enough," Neo replied.

"I think I'll take all the honors in going first," Miles announced. "I will lay two cards facedown, and summon Falcon Knight! (1000/700) Your move, person-who-never-gets-their-hair-cut."

"…" Fell looked at his draw, and instantly summoned it.

"Mad Dog of Darkness… (1900/1400) Attack your monster…"

"You've run right into a Gravity Bind!" Miles declared, flipping it over. "Now no monster above level three can attack."

"…One card down, end…"

"Not much of a talker, are you?"

"…"

"Man, you're no fun. I equip my Falcon Knight with Demon Axe. This raises his attack by 1000! (2000/700) I also flip over my Thieving Goblin! Now whenever I inflict battle damage to you, you lose a card in your hand! Falcon Knight, attack the poodle!"

The monster sliced the Mad Dog in half with one thrust.

"One card is randomly picked from your hand and discarded."

Fell turned his cards upside down and shuffled it around, picking a random one. 

"My Black Forest Witch… (1100/1200)"

"Good! Now Falcon Knight attacks directly!"

The Falcon Knight suddenly grasped its chest as white energy began to shoot out of it.

"What the…?!"

"I activated Skill Drain by paying 1000 Life Points," Fell explained. "Now all face up monsters have their effects negated."

"…" Miles swore. "Not cool dude. My deck is BASED around effects… I'm going to have to trash that Skill Drain somehow. Until then, I end my turn."

Fell: 6900

Miles: 8000

"One monster in defense, and a card down…"

"Whew, lucky top deck. I play Cyclone, destroying your Skill Drain! Now I summon Troop Commander! (1200/400) Using his ability, I call forth Injection Angel Lily! (400/1500) Now, I attack with Falcon Knight!"

"…Attack Nullification…"

"Rats! And I'm low on cards in the hand… I think it's time to use my White Thief's ability. Hey Gen, go pay our friend a visit!"

The Soul Monster nodded, and vanished.

"What?" He looked around the clearing.

"Try examining your hand!"

Fell glared at his hand. "It looks like your White Thief lived up to his name…"

"Yep! Gen's a master at this. Once per duel, one random card from your hand is selected, and I get to use it. Of course, when it's used, it goes to your Cemetery." Gen reappeared, and handed Miles the card he had stolen. "Hey, that's perfect! I'll use your Emissary of Obliteration to remove your face down monster from the game!"

"Skilled Black Magician… (1900/1700)"

"What kind of whacked-out theme are you playing? I end my turn."

"Summon Magic Warrior: Breaker. Using his effect now; by removing his magic counter, your Gravity Bind is destroyed."

"…Crap."

"Lay two cards, and attack Troop Commander."

Fell: 6900

Miles: 7600

"Man… this sucks. Oh well, I can live with it. I summon Critter! (1000/600) Then I play Magic Box of Death! This magic card destroys one monster on your side of the field, so say farewell to Breaker! You also get control of my monsters, so here's my Critter! Now Falcon Knight attacks twice! Injection Angel Lily also attacks! By paying 2000 Life Points, her attack is raised by 3000, so you're in for a world of pain! No cards are discarded though, since you don't have any… Oh, and I also get my Critter's effect."

Fell: 500

Miles: 5600

"…" Fell examined the card he drew, then played it. "Jar of Greed… Black Hole… end turn."

"You lucky… ok, I summon another Falcon Knight. (1000/700)"

"Activate Ambush. One Dark Main-Type can be special summoned, so special summon Blood Vors. (1900/1200)"

"Damn it! Lay one card down, and end… and on your turn, I activate it! It's called Sixth Sense! I call two numbers, in this case five and six. Now you roll a die. If it is one of those numbers, I draw that many cards. If it isn't, that many cards are discarded from the top of my deck to the Cemetery."

The die landed on a four.

"As bad at gambling as ever," Gen commented.

"Can it. I lose my Angel's Gift, Gravity Bind, Troop Commander, and Attack Nullification…"

"Sacrifice Blood Vors to summon Android Psycho Shocker. (2400/1500) Attack Falcon Knight."

Fell: 500

Miles: 4200

"Great. I'm screwed. I lay one card…"

"Summon another Blood Vors. (1900/1200) Both monsters attack directly."

Fell: 500

Miles: 0

To be continued…


	6. Opposite of Darkness

o_o I'm getting so many reviews! OMG! Not like I'm complaining… ^_^

Martial Arts Master: Yeah, I am actually surprised that nobody has complained about that… but that's not a bad thing. Yeah, the Redwall books are excellent, be sure to read more! -_^

The Rose Duelist: Yep, gotta love Kuribo. _ Of course, Demon Rue hates the little fur ball… I wonder why? _

LunaticChaos: Thanks for the kind comments! Obelisk, huh… maybe. Then again, it could be those Blue Eyes, or maybe something you've never even heard of! And as much as I like you trying to help, I prefer to build my own decks. *Looks in file that has a deck for every character in fic* Yup… _;;;

Artemis of the Moon: I'm glad you like him… he's one of my favorites. ^_^ A trilogy? Nah… I'm planning on at least five versions, maybe more. _;;;

***Chapter 6: Opposite of Darkness***

Miles shut off his Duel Disk with a wince. "Ouch! I was beaten pretty brutally, huh? Alright, I'm a man of my word." He took the decks out of the bag he carried, and handed each one to its proper owner. "Nice talking to you all. Now I'm out of here."

"You aren't going anywhere," Rue declared. "I think we all want to know why you stole our decks. What did you mean, you don't want to kill us? And how did you know about Max nearly dying?"

"Well…" Miles turned around to face them. "I should have known it would come to this… all right. I'll give you a little info, but not much. Soon you guys are going to be dueling with higher stakes; your lives. You lose, you die, that simple. Some like me are more soft-hearted, but not all are. You want to find out more? Too bad, it's highly classified information. Even threatening to kill me won't exactly help you. No, if you want to find out more, you're going to have to let me come with you."

"And why would we trust a thief?" Will inquired.

"Hm… good point. Alright then…" He reached into his bag, and took out his cell phone. He then proceeded to drop it on the ground, and stomped on it. A loud snap echoed through the clearing, causing Hope to jump.

"That won't make me an instant friend in your books, but now I have no way to contact anyone but you. If you are really that worried, Gen'll take off for now as well."

"But why become a traitor?" Claire inquired.

"...I have my reasons," Miles stated, looking at Max. "Ones I'd prefer not to disclose."

"Hm… we can't trust you, but we need all of the data on our next opponents that we can get…" Rue pondered. "What do you guys think?"

"Give him a chance," Hope shrugged.

"I agree that we need more information," Will commented.

"Same as Hope said," Claire decided.

"As long as we are careful, I guess…" Brandi still didn't seem to trust him.

"I'm fine with it," Larka threw in.

"…" As usual, Fell had no opinion on the matter.

"It's settled then," Will concluded. "You can join us, but not lightly… we'll be watching."

"I guess I can't blame you for that," Miles replied. "Ah well… so, where are you all going anyway?"

"We were trying to find the one who injured Max," Claire explained. "So who did this, and how can we find him or her?"

To their surprise, Miles laughed at that.

"Find him? Not much chance in that. Forget about him-you'll understand why later."

Brandi glared at him, but said nothing.

"What should we do then?" Perseus asked.

"Your pal over there still doesn't have a Duel Disk," Miles pointed out, indicating to Fell. "Shouldn't he get his own?"

By this time, Fell had taken off Hope's Duel Disk, and handed it to her. She accepted it.

"Yeah, we should register you two… oh, forgot to mention it in the excitement, but thanks Fell," Hope said.

"…I dislike being in debt," he stated, turning away.

"You also dislike talking," Miles joked.

"…"

"My point exactly."

"What I want to know is how he acquired a deck, and how he learned to duel," Gaston pondered.

"That other guy… he left, didn't he? He taught Fell, and had the cards. Fell made two decks; one for me, and one for himself," Larka explained. "Then Fell taught me how to play as well. Apparently, he thought it would be necessary, and I can see why now."

"So you too know how to duel?" Claire asked. "We haven't seen your deck… how about a duel? Not for stakes, just a test run? To make it fair, I won't have Perseus be my Deck Master."

Larka glanced at her brother quickly. "I don't have a Duel Disk though…"

"You can borrow mine," Hope offered. "I've already lent it out once, why not again?"

"Thanks. In that case, I accept!" Larka inserted her deck into the Duel Disk, and was soon ready to begin.

Claire: 8000

Larka: 8000

"I'll go first, if you don't mind," Claire decided. "I play Sanctuary of the Sky, a field magic. I also play Stealing Goblin. This raises my Life Points by 500, and lowers yours by the same."

Claire: 8500

Larka: 7500

"Now I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

Larka examined her hand. "A field magic? Then this should overrule it… I play Shine Spark. This is a field magic as well, so that means yours is destroyed, right?"

"Shoot… yeah, that's right…"

"Well, it powers up all Light Main-Type monsters attack by 500, and lowers their defense by 400, just so you know. Now I summon Blade Knight. (2100/600) Blade Knight attacks your set!"

"You have destroyed my Saint Magician. (800/0) Her reverse effect allows me to get one magic card back from my Cemetery."

"Not with Blade Knight! As long as he is my only monster, any monsters with reverse effects that he attacks are negated."

"Rats… is it my turn?"

"After I lay down one card, yes."

"Well, I summon Mudora! (1500/1800) For every Angel Sub-Type in my Cemetery, my monster gains 200 attack. (1700/1800) Now I equip Mudora with Dagura Blades! With it, Mudora gains 500 more attack points! (2200/1800) Mudora attacks the Blade Knight! Oh, and a side effect of my Dagura Blades are that I gain the Life Points you lose. I'll lay one card down and end my turn."

Claire: 8600

Larka: 7400

"That was a lot of effort for just one monster, wasn't it? I summon Dunames Valkyria! (2300/650) Now I will have her attack your Mudora!"

"I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force. Your Dunames Valkyria is destroyed!"

"Drat! I lay one card down…"

As Claire drew her next card, Hope was distracted by a tap on her shoulder. She looked behind to see Brandi indicating to the forest. Curious, Hope nodded, and followed her out. Nobody noticed them leaving as Claire played her next card.

"My Angel's Gift will let me draw three cards, and then discard two, so I discard Magic Guardner and Heavenly Knight Perseus. With another Angel in the Cemetery, my Mudora gains more attack. (2400/1800) Mudora attacks directly!"

"I activate Destruction Ring in response to your command! Not only is your monster destroyed, but we both lose Life Points equal to its attack!"

"Ugh… in that case, I lay one monster in defense mode."

Claire: 6200

Larka: 5000

Once out of sight, Hope turned to Brandi curiously. "What's the matter?"

To her surprise, Brandi was slightly blushing. "Well…"

"…Does this have to do with Matt?"

Now Brandi seemed shocked. "…Yeah… how did you guess?"

"It's actually obvious… you're in love with him, aren't you?"

"That's part of it… well, we came down to Illinois together to see Max, right? On the way here, Matt confessed that he loved me. It was then that I discovered that I loved him too…"

"That's great!" Hope congratulated. "I'm happy for both of you. But why only tell me?"

"I felt like I needed to share this with someone," Brandi replied. "I don't know… you just seem like a good listener… that's all. I'll tell the others when I'm ready, preferably when Max regains his memories… so would you keep it secret please?"

"Sure thing," Hope assured. "Nobody will know until you say it yourself."

"Thanks..."

"No problem. Hadn't we best be getting back?"

"Probably."

When they got back, they were relieved to notice that nobody had noted their disappearance, besides Gaston and Mana, who they told that it was nothing to be concerned with.

While they had been gone, Larka had managed to summon another Blade Knight (2100/600) and attack the defense monster, which had turned out to be a Kelbek. (1500/1800) Because of its effect, the Blade Knight had been sent to Larka's hand, and now all she had was one card face down on the field.

"I play Raise Dead, to revive Perseus! (2400/1000) Perseus attacks you!"

"In response, I flip over Emissary of Harmony! This trap negates your attack!"

"All I can do is end then."

Larka looked at her next card, and nodded in satisfaction. "This seems good. I summon Wandering Hero, Freed! (2200/700) Now I activate his special ability! By removing two Light Main-Type monsters from my Cemetery, one of your face up monsters with a higher attack than his is destroyed! Therefore, I remove Blade Knight and Dunames Valkyria! Now Freed gets a direct attack! Then I lay one card down."

Claire: 4000

Larka: 5000

"Not bad. I lay one monster in defense mode, and end."

"I'll attack it with Freed!"

"You attacked my Marshmallon! (1000/0) When you attack this monster in face down defense mode, you receive 1000 Life Points of damage."

Claire: 4000

Larka: 4000

"Also, Marshmallon can't be destroyed in battle."

"Hm… I set one monster, and end…"

"I pass."

"I summon Blade Knight (2100/600) again. That's all for me."

"Finally, something I can do! I will first play Jar of Greed, and then play Terra Forming to add Sanctuary of the Sky to my hand. Then I play it, removing your Shine Spark. (500/300) (1700/1200) (1600/1000) Now I summon Warrior of Zera! (1600/1600) Then I sacrifice him to special summon Archangel Zeraato! (2800/2300) By discarding Agent of Power, Mars from my hand, I can use Zeraato's ability to destroy all of your monsters! Now Zeraato attacks directly!"

Claire: 4000

Larka: 1200

"I haven't lost yet! I summon Mimic Illusionist! (0/0) When I summon this monster, it gains the base stats of one of yours, so I will have it copy your Zeraato! (2800/2300) Now I lay one card, and attack Zeraato, destroying both of our monsters!"

"That suicide attack will cost you… I play another Warrior of Zera! (1600/1600) Attack for the game!"

"I counter with Magic Cylinder! Your attack is negated, and damage equal to the attack is done to you!"

Claire: 2400

Larka: 1200

"Now it's my turn, right? I will summon X-Head Cannon! (1800/1500) He attacks Warrior of Zera!"

Claire: 2200

Larka: 1200

"That won't save you. I sacrifice Marshmallon for Agent of Judgment, Saturn! (2400/0) He attacks your Cannon!"

Claire: 2200

Larka: 600

"My Life Points may be severely low, but I think I still win."

"What?"

"I play Cry of the Living Dead, reviving Wandering Hero, Freed! (1700/1200) By removing my Mimic Illusionist and X-Head Cannon, he destroys Saturn! Now I attack with Freed! Then I lay one more card down…"

Claire: 500

Larka: 600

"That doesn't make you the winner…"

"Actually, it does! I activate Solar Ray! This card does 600 Life Points damage times each face up Light Main-Type I have face up on the field, so that's 600 damage!"

Claire: 0

Larka: 600

Claire sighed in regret as she straightened her deck. "Oh well… I guess I can't win them all. For a first duel, that was really good!"

"Thanks! Now that I have the hang of this, I really would like to get a Duel Disk soon. Oh, and a Soul Monster wouldn't hurt either."

"True…" Hope thought for a few minutes. "How about this? We all exit for now. Miles, you need to get ready to stay in here for a while, so take advantage of the… three hours or so that you have."

"Gotcha. Where do we meet up?"

"The hotel. Meet us there."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's move out Gen." He then teleported away.

"I still don't like him," Rue muttered.

"He'll be back. Remember that his target is us, so whether he likes it or not, he's going to be tagging along," Will explained.

"Good point," Claire agreed. "Well, if we are to be back in three hours, we'd best get moving!"

That being said, they left as well. Since Fell and Larka had no Duel Disk, they tried holding onto Hope's Duel Disk as she teleported out. It seemed to work, for they vanished with her.

*****

"We don't all need to come to register Fell and Larka," Hope pointed out. "You guys can rest up while I take them to registration."

"Sure thing," Rue replied. 

"Be back soon!" Hope ran to the guest door, and knocked.

Larka opened the door. "We're ready to go. Just lead the way."

*****

"So this is the outside world…" Larka murmured, looking around. "It's much nicer than always staying inside. I feel more… I don't know, free out here."

_That's right… they don't even really remember anything but that lab they lived in... I feel so sorry for them, and wish I could help… but I know I can't…_

After a few more silent minutes, they reached the registration building. After Hope told the woman behind the counter what they wanted, they went to the necessary room.

"Two at once?" the man asked.

"Yeah. So what do they have to do?" 

"A very long process that involves birth certificates and registration sheets…" He laughed at the disgusted look on Hope's face. "But if you don't have the time, you can do that later. I know you young types-always busy. Just make sure to come back at a more convenient time. In the meantime, here you go." He got out four boxes, which contained two Envoyant Machines and two Duel Disks. Then he got out another box that had too many Soul Cards to count, all blank. "I need each of you to pick one card from this box."

Larka stepped up and frowned uncertainly before sticking her hand in. For a few minutes, she searched, when she suddenly grabbed one.

"Um… I think I want this one…" She seemed surprised by something.

"Ok then. Now it's your turn," the man stated to Fell.

He walked up, and put his hand into the box. His expression did not waver as he selected one.

"So that's your choice? I wish you both the best of luck in Teknisk Wereld!"

After Hope and Larka thanked him, they walked back outside, in which Larka immediately asked Hope what was on her mind.

"Something odd happened! The card that I'm holding felt… warm all of a sudden! Now it's just cold though…"

"Then you probably picked the right one," Hope smiled. "That's how I got Gaston, and how everyone else acquired their Soul Monsters. The right one made itself known by warmth… did you feel the same Fell?"

Fell looked at the card he held. "…"

"Well? I want to know too!" Larka insisted.

"…No."

"Then why did you pick that one?" his sister asked.

"Maybe you're like Max? His Soul Card felt like a chill, that seemed to promise to guard him…"

"…I feel no security… just darkness that is right…"

"That's really weird…" Hope commented. "But as long as it seems right to you, then it must be ok."

"…"

*****

"SCORE! Take that Baal!" Rue said triumphantly as the demon on the screen was destroyed. "Finally dead! I'm so glad I won't have to go through THAT again… too close for comfort…"

Will was coming down then. He smirked as a wicked idea came to him. He ran into the family room, and before Rue realized what he was doing, turned off the PS2.

"Oh, that's the off switch?" Will pretended to be puzzled. "I could have sworn that was the save button…"

*****

Hope opened the door to her house. "Hey guys, we're back!"

"Hi Hope," Claire greeted. "Rue and Will should be back soon."

"Where are they?" Larka inquired as they stepped inside.

"Rue finally managed to beat this extremely hard boss in Disgaea, only to have Will shut off the PS2 before he could save." Claire laughed at the memory. "He got FURIOUS, and is now attempting to strangle Will with his bare hands. I'll feel sorry for Will if he is caught."

"…Indeed…" Hope replied. "They'd better be back soon…"

As she said that, the door opened, and Will ran in. "Shall we go to Teknisk Wereld now?"

"Um, sure… but what about Rue?"

"I'm here," Rue growled in response, closing the door behind him. 

"I'm surprised Will isn't dead," Brandi commented.

"Well, I almost had him, but some old lady thought I was trying to kill him, so she beat me over the head with her stick," Rue complained. "Stupid woman…"

Hope had a good laugh at that as they walked upstairs, Rue grumbling under his breath. They entered Hope's room, but Claire seemed to be hesitating.

"Um, before you leave…" Claire shifted uneasily. "I'm going to be staying here."

"Why?" Rue asked, forgetting his problem for a minute.

"I know that Max and Fell are mostly recovered already, but I want to look over their wounds some more, to make sure they do not suffer more than necessary. I might manage to make it later, but not right now."

"That's fine… thanks," Brandi said.

"No problem… so, are you guys going?"

"I guess we should."

Fell and Larka went back to the guest room as the others readied their Envoyant Machines.

Hope was one of the last ones to press the green button.

To be continued…


	7. Old Friend?

I'm still amazed at all the reviews I am getting. Thanks again!

The Rose Duelist: Yes, Kuribo=CUTE! That's why Demon Rue hates him… he's too obsessed with being the tough guy. _ And like I said, I don't need a character just yet. v_v

LunaticChaos: Yes, every duelist has their own deck! Indeed it is a lot, but I enjoy making them. Now when I said it could be a monster you never heard of, I meant I could have just as easily made it up. Who knows? As of yet, I need no help, but if I do I'll tell you. Thanks for the support. 

Whispering Hope: Which version? I have one holo, and two commons. ^_^

Artemis of the Moon: Aw, why don't you like him? v_v Oh well, not every character can be a bread winner. *Pokes Echecs*

Zander: Right now. =P

***Chapter 7: Old Friend?***

All Olympion could feel was pain. He wanted nothing more than to close his eyes again, and slip into unconsciousness.

But he couldn't. He could feel Max's emotions, and they were more crazed than ever. Fear, hurt, and confusion came in waves. He had no way of helping though. While he easily felt Max's feelings, he couldn't tell where they were coming from.

Olympion stood, and slowly began walking out of the forest.

He would search, and never stop until he found his master.

*****

"There you are," Gaston greeted. Hope had been the last to come to the group. They had arrived just outside of the town. 

"So where to first?" Mana asked.

"The hotel, of course," Will replied. "We have to find Miles, remember?"

"Oh yeah…" Rue nodded. "Forgot about him for a minute. We'd best get going."

They walked into the town, and quickly made their way to the hotel. When they arrived, they immediately noticed a small commotion.

"Don't try to deny it!" a woman was yelling. "I KNOW you stole my wallet!"

Miles was trying to reason with her. "You just ran here accusing me! Why do you think I did it?"

"Well, just look at your Soul Monster! A White Thief!"

"Congratulations, you identified what Duel Monster card I am," Gen told her. "You want a cookie or something?"

"Upstart bandit! I know you stole it! I had it in my purse, how else could it possibly be gone?!"

Everyone else was simply watching… well, except for Neo.

"Maybe that's it, in your pocket?" he suggested.

The woman checked, and blushed deeply. "Um… er…" She proceeded to run off.

"That was entertaining…" Rue commented. "So you actually came back-I'm kinda surprised."

"I may be a thief, but that doesn't mean I lie," Miles replied. "Anything new come up?"

"Claire is staying home," Mana explained. 

"Not much else to say," Brandi threw in. "So where do we go now?"

"To find the comrades of the one who tried to kill your pal?" Miles shrugged. "They'll probably come to us if we are patient. If you want to search for them that badly, then anywhere will do, I guess."

"We've been around the forest and lake," Gaston pointed out. "How about the mountains?"

Rue pulled out some cards from his pocket. "Yeah, I have my Time Capsules with me. It wouldn't be too hard to get to the top."

"Then why not?" Gen agreed.

*****

"Now it is ready…" The figure in the white cloak examined the cards she held.

*****

They had arrived at the base of the mountains quickly, but it took some time to manage to persuade Max to enter the coffin that was to carry him. After some time, they finally made it to the top, and admired the great view.

"There's the chess-like temple…" Rue noticed.

Hope shivered as she saw the cold, grim Chess Demon statues, remembering how they had come to life to behead Echecs and Paul.

"Should we go down now?" Neo asked.

That's when they all felt it. A strange sensation that is nearly impossible to describe. Hope looked at her hand… and noticed that it was fading.

"Guys…?" 

"I'm fading fast, pun intended!" Miles commented.

In a matter of seconds, they were completely gone.

*****

Hope rose slowly, trying to adjust her eye sight.

Around her, everyone else was coming to as well. They were lying on a marble floor in a large, white, stone room. Its design reminded her of Greek art, and their grand buildings with their royal columns. Of course, that fact was kind of pushed aside when they noticed that they were trapped in a large, dome shaped, iron cage. There was no sign of a door; just thick metal bars with small, sharp spikes on the outside of it.

"Ugh… what happened?" Rue asked, rising.

"I'm not sure…" Will stated. "Miles, do you know?"

The thief looked around. "This is news to me…"

"Is there any way we can get out?" Gaston inquired. "Hope, do you have any cards that can help?"

It was then that Hope had noticed another important thing.

"Our Duel Disks are gone!"

"And our spare cards as well…" Brandi sighed. 

"Hey, you're a mastermind with locks, right?" Neo asked. "Can you get us out even without support cards?"

"I'm a thief, not a miracle worker. I can't pick a lock that doesn't exist, even if I had my equipment, but it was confiscated as well," Miles pointed out. "I recognize this now… it's an Iron Cage of Nightmares. There's no door, or lock, therefore, without support cards we're screwed. Oh, don't bother trying to chop it down," he told Gaston, who had been reaching for his sword. "The bars are indestructible, unless certain support cards are used."

"Then what do you suggest we attempt?" Larka inquired.

"We will have to see who is behind this," Gen said simply. "There isn't much we CAN do."

"Very optimistic," Neo grumbled.

Max had not said anything, just backing away from the bars towards the center. 

Fell finally said something after a few minutes of silence.

"Someone is coming."

A few seconds later, and the door opened, as a person in a white cloak stepped in.

"I see that you have all awakened. Very good… now we can begin the necessary procedure."

"Who are you?!" Rue demanded.

Miles swore. "Just great! We're as good as dead now!"

"Acting serious for once, traitor? Our boss was highly displeased that you chose to abandon us when we were so close…"

"Oh shut up!" he snapped. "As if I was going to stick around with you guys after I saw what you were doing!"

"Hm?" The person seemed to be examining the group, and then nodded. "Ah, I see. So the boy with the cloak survived… I can see the fear in his eyes. He lacks his memories, does he not?"

"Oh shut up!" Miles snarled.

"You have a point… I am wasting time. I did not transport you here for no reason… traitor, you of all people should have been aware of what the Twilight Zone Segregation Machine can do. It teleported you all here, with some difficulty." The cloak hood was thrown back, revealing the woman it had been hiding. Her light-brown hair went below her shoulders by at least a foot, but her brown eyes were definitely not as soft. Around her neck was a large, golden cross.

"Now the taking of souls will begin…" She then revealed the item she was carrying; a crystal ball. "Your souls are necessary for our plans. We cannot have interference."

"We don't even get a say in this? Not fair!" Rue protested.

"You have already defeated one of the most powerful groups ever created; you shall not do the same for us." Her crystal ball began to glow with a soft light. "Goodbye."

_After all we've been through, we're going to die like this?!_ Hope thought

Suddenly, a silver sword flew through the air. It smashed into the crystal ball, which broke into more than a million shards of glass. The sword clattered against the marble floor.

The woman spun around, her hands bleeding from the glass shards cutting into her, to see a teen entering the room, his Soul Monster, a knight wearing white and gold armor, with a white cape, following. What shocked everyone was the boy's appearance.

His white shirt and blue pants were the same, as were his white boots. He had changed his blue gloves slightly; now they were fingerless, showing his scarred skin. His silver hair ended at his shoulders, now in a ponytail. His blue eyes were surveying the situation at a glance. He also wore a silver dragon pendent around his neck.

Rue was the first who could speak.

"…Draken?"

"Yep, it's me," Draken assured, walking to the center of the room. "It looks like you didn't forget me… I'm not sure if that's good or bad."

"But how?" Hope asked. "You were killed in that fire!"

The woman hissed. "A General of Hell? Impossible! They all died!"

"As much as I hate it, yeah, I was a General of Hell," Draken replied. "But not anymore… I've changed my ways, if it isn't too late. Oh, can I have my sword back now?"

"But how did you live?" Will asked.

"I'll explain later, ok?"

The opponent had first healed her skin with a Red Potion. Then she had taken out a Soul Card, and now her monster was beside her. It looked almost exactly like a woman with a black outfit on, and long, black hair. In her hair was a feather, and her eyes were green. That was the only strange thing about her… she had a third eye in the center of her forehead, a creepy thing to behold.

"A Black Forest Witch," Miles realized.

"I am called Rika, and my Soul Monster is Rikku. We will be the ones who begin the soul gathering, for winning a duel will be simple! If I win, you are all to die. If you win, I'll release all of your friends."

"So that's how it is, huh?" Darche had already collected Draken's sword, and had leapt over to him. Draken sheathed it immediately. "Then let's get this party started!"

Rue had been searching his pocket for something. He soon came up with a small, flat, wooden box. "Hey! Draken!"

"What?" He turned, and barely managed to catch the box. He opened it, and inside were his three Blue Eyes White Dragons.

"I told you I'd keep them safe!" Rue grinned

"I owe you for this…" Draken slid the three cards into his deck, and then began to shuffle it. "Those were the only things my new and improved deck that were missing… yeah, that's right, I had to rebuild the whole thing from scratch. What a pain."

"Quit stalling!" Rika snarled.

"I'm ready…"

Draken: 8000

Rika: 8000

"As challenged, I shall go first," Rika declared. "I play Distressing Choice. Now you must select one card out of five from my deck for me to keep, while the rest go to the Cemetery. I choose Sealed Left Arm, Sealed Right Arm, Sealed Left Leg, Sealed Right Leg, and Sealed Exodia. Which do you choose?"

"Is she stoned?!" Miles exclaimed. "She could have gotten an instant win with that, but she's throwing away the pieces instead!"

Draken thought for a minute. "You might be trying to play Reserves, so the Sealed Exodia should definitely go… alright, keep the Sealed Left Arm."

"I will lay one monster in defense mode, and a card down."

"I summon Spear Dragon! (1900/0) Now I activate Stomping Crash! This magic card destroys one of your magics or traps if I have a Dragon Sub-Type. It also deals 500 damage to you."

"You have destroyed my Magic Cylinder…"

"Good!"

Draken: 8000

Rika: 7500

"Now Spear Dragon will attack your set!"

"It was only my Critter. (1000/600) Now I search my deck for a monster with 1500 attack or lower."

"You also lose 1300 Life Points."

"What?!"

"My Spear Dragon has an effect known as trample! Any damage exceeding your monster's defense is dealt to you! But after attacking, my monster goes to defense mode."

Draken: 8000

Rika: 6200

"It matters not… do you end?"

"Not before I lay two cards down."

"I summon Exclusivity Virus! (1600/1000) Its special ability is that when I discard a card from my hand, I can name a Sub-Type. All monsters on the field that are of that sub-type are then destroyed."

"Drat! Almost all of my monsters are dragons!"

"That is exactly why my Virus is so deadly! I discard Sealed Left Arm and call Dragons! Now Exclusivity Virus attacks directly!"

"My Attack Nullification has other plans!"

"In that case, I play Emissary of Peace. Now no monster with 1500 attack or above can attack. Then I lay one other card."

Draken winced at his draw. _Ouch! If I summon a monster in attack mode, her Virus will make short work of it… I'd better be more careful than that…_

"I lay one monster in defense mode."

"There isn't much else you can do! I will pay for Emissary of Peace. Oh, did I forget to mention that part of its effect? I have to pay 100 Life Points each standby phase. If I don't, it is destroyed."

Draken: 8000

Rika: 6100

"Now I play Jar of Greed. Then I lay one card down, and end."

"I pass…"

Rika smirked at her next card. "Now it is over. I will not pay for Emissary of Peace. Instead, I activate Pact with Exodia!"

"What does that do?" Draken asked.

"I can only activate this card when I have all five pieces of Exodia in the Cemetery. It allows me to special summon Exodia Necros! (1800/0)"

"It appears to be weak…"

"Oh, you'll see how wrong you are soon enough… I will also activate my face down card, Imperial Command! As long as this trap is on the field, all reverse effects are negated!"

To her surprise, Draken could only laugh at this.

"The joke's on you. I don't have any reverse effect monsters!"

"Damn it… oh well. At least I know that you cannot stop me. Virus attacks your defense monster."

"You've run straight into a trap! I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force! This destroys all of your attack monsters!"

A blast of rainbow-colored light was fired at both monsters. The Virus was cut down on the spot, but the Exodia Necros didn't even flinch as he was struck.

"Impossible! You don't have any traps besides Imperial Command-how can your Exodia Necros still be alive?"

"Exodia Necros won't fall to such cheap tricks. He is unaffected by traps that would destroy him. Now my Exodia Necros will attack your defense monster!"

"My Dol Dora… (1500/1200)"

"I end my turn."

As she stated this, the two headed dragon appeared on Draken's field again.

"What? How can your Dol Dora be back?"

"My Dol Dora's special ability allows him to be resurrected, in defense mode, the first time he has been destroyed, on your end phase. His stats are lower though, to make it a little fairer. (1000/1000)"

"Fine then…"

"I will now summon Sapphire Dragon! (1900/1600) Attack the Exodia Necros!"

The Sapphire Dragon sent wicked blue flames at the Exodia Necros, yet once again it didn't appear to be harmed.

"It's unable to be destroyed in battle too?!"

"Indeed. I still take damage though."

Draken: 8000

Rika: 6000

"Let me guess-it's immune to magic and monster effects too?"

"Yes, he is not harmed by magic cards that would destroy him. However, monster effects do work."

"Just my luck," Draken muttered, looking at his deck. "I don't have anything that can destroy him then…"

"Then do you wish to surrender?"

"Not on your life! I don't care how invincible that Exodia Necros is-it is still weak! I lay one card down, and end my turn."

"Weak? Take another look. Each standby phase of mine, he gains 500 more attack points. (2300/0)"

"This is overkill…" Draken complained.

"I will not use Rikku's effect. By paying 1000 Life Points, I may put one monster with 1500 defense or less that is in my Cemetery into my hand. I choose Exclusivity Virus, and summon it. (1600/1000)"

Draken: 8000

Rika: 5000

"…I'm screwed."

"Put frankly, yes, you are. I discard Big Shield Guarder (100/2600) and call Dragons. Then I play Sleeping Valley of the Pharaoh-Necrovalley! This field magic makes it so that we cannot remove anything from the Cemetery."

"What good will that do for you?"

"I have to have all five Exodia pieces in the Cemetery to keep Necros alive. If even one leaves it, Exodia Necros is destroyed."

"So now I cannot play Raise Dead, or Kaiku, or anything like that to stop your advance?"

"That's right! I also play Cyclone on your face down card."

"My Cry of the Living Dead is gone…"

"Now both of my monsters attack directly!"

Draken: 4100

Rika: 5000

"I should have known this would happen…" Will realized.

"What do you mean?" Hope inquired.

"Draken said that his deck hasn't been complete until now. Don't you realize what that means? He hasn't dueled for at least a month. His skills are still rusty."

"That doesn't mean he automatically loses," Rue argued. "Have a little more faith! He's trying to save us-the least we could do is cheer him on, right?"

"Can't argue with that," Mana replied.

Draken looked at his next card. "Looks grim… but I can buy myself some time with this. I summon Knight of White Dragon! (1900/1700) Then I sacrifice him to special summon Blue Eyes White Dragon! (3000/2500) Blue Eyes white Dragon attacks your Virus!"

"How can you do that? The Knight of White Dragon requires a ritual! Even then, the Blue Eyes White Dragon has to wait one turn before it can attack!"

"You're not the only one with a Deck Master! Darche negates those annoying requirements."

Draken: 4100

Rika: 3600

"Not bad at all. Your Dragon doesn't stand a chance though. I play Thunderbolt, destroying him. Then Exodia Necros attacks directly! (2800/0)"

Draken: 1300

Rika: 3600

Draken nervously drew, sighing in relief at his card. "Hey Rika… I just found a way to thrash you."

"How do you expect to? The only thing that can stop my Exodia Necros are monster effects, and you admitted you don't have anything that can do that. Not only that, but you cannot revive my Virus because of Necrovalley."

"Who said I was going to destroy your Necros?" Draken grinned. "I actually plan on taking it as my own! I play Change of Heart, stealing your Exodia Necros!"

"What?! No!"

"Now I summon Kaiser Seahorse! (1750/1550) Kaizer Seahorse and Exodia Necros attack directly!"

Draken: 1300

Rika: 0

"Fine… as the conditions stated, I am to release all of you." She took out a remote control, and pressed a button on it. The cage vanished instantly. "But those were the only stakes! I can still kill you all, with this!" She showed them the card she held. "I hate being dragged to the Generals of Hell's level, but the Commanders of Heaven are too close to fail! Therefore, I will resort to this! My Thunderbolt will slay you all!" She then began to insert it into her Duel Disk.

It was too quick for them to see. A brush of wind was all that everyone felt when Fell lunged at the woman, plunging his hand completely through her body. Rika didn't even know what had killed her as she was run through the heart. She collapsed, blood flying everywhere.

To be continued…


	8. Once Human

LunaticChaos: Draken was probably one of my favorite Generals of Hell, because I actually wrote on his past. I'm glad you like him.

Whispering Hope: o_O;;; Ok… should I ask? _

***Chapter 8: Once Human***

The man in the white cloak entered the small office he had arranged for himself, and saw that the one he was to meet was already there.

He sat down on the chair behind his desk, eyeing the one that stood before him.

"Greetings. So you are the one I have heard so much about? One who is strong in fighting, and dueling? You can slay others carelessly, without pause?"

"I am not supposed to have emotions."

"You were once human."

"Why does that make a difference? I am programmed to not have feelings… to just be a tool…"

"True. Very well, I will explain what I wish for you to do. There is a small group of children that I want to have you kill. If not physically, then dueling will be necessary. The conditions of the duel? The loser will die. And I already know full well about your structure, and one certain device inside your body, so do not even consider trying to fail. Well, do you understand?"

"Affirmative."

"Good. I am also aware that you will require pay. What do you desire?"

"I would prefer to discuss that later. It's a complicated process, but one that should be cheaper for you overall."

"Fine. Just leave to find and slay them."

"Right away."

*****

Everyone was silent, staring at the corpse, and Fell, who had blood dripping from his right arm, the one he had used to run Rika through. Max backed away slowly, but that was the only movement any of them made.

Larka was the first to speak. "Fell! Why? Why did you kill her?!"

"It was us or her," he replied, turning to her, face as expressionless as ever. "You may have different opinions, but I would prefer my life to hers."

"That's no excuse! You know full well you could have simply destroyed her deck and Duel Disk, making her harmless! She may not care if she kills or not, but you aren't that heartless!"

"Would you say that if you knew that I do not care? An enemy that is alive can come back. One that is dead will never bother you again."

Larka shook her head. "She didn't stand a chance! That was a murder from cold blood! You can't say that you aren't feeling guilty about that; I know you too well!"

"The first, and most important rule of survival is to only think of yourself," Fell stated. "Why should I feel guilt over one who would be a threat in the future?"

"So you care about nobody? Not even… me?" she whispered.

"If I could, I would sever the feelings I have toward you. But the bonds are too deep; even I cannot deny that." He then walked out of the door, saying as he left, "I will wait outside, in hearing range if you need anything."

Hope was the only one who did not watch him leave, instead looking at Larka to see her reaction. Her eyes shined with unshed tears, to match the look of hurt on her face. But she said nothing.

To take their minds off the touchy subject, Brandi asked, "Who is this Draken guy? You seem to already know him."

"Draken was once a General of Hell," Rue explained. "I dueled, and defeated him. His body was burned, along with his Soul Monster's, Darche. I held on to his Blue Eyes White Dragons, until now. What I don't understand is how you can be alive…" he said to Draken.

"Well, you all died too, but were revived. Do you know who was revived though?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Simple. Anyone with a good heart could not stay in Hell. Therefore, anyone that was not a General of Hell came back to life. I'm a special case. I was tricked by Diablos at a very young age, and only because of my sister's murder. I did not know it, but the Lord let me have a second chance, saying that I still have a good heart, hidden under shades of hatred. So my body, and Darche's, were resurrected. Unfortunately, my deck and Duel Disk were gone for good. But I managed to replace them." He thought for a minute. "Oh, I wasn't the only one whose heart was somewhat good. Alene was much the same way."

"Did she get resurrected as well?" Gaston inquired.

"No. Her death was not in a Death Duel, so she could not be brought back to life. However, her soul was sent to Heaven, so she should be happy now."

"I'm sure she is," Hope agreed. "After what she went through, it's what she deserves."

"Can't argue with that," Neo commented.

Will was concerned about more pressing manners. "We still do not know where our Duel Disks or decks are. We should find them immediately."

Mana indicated to a door in the back. "Maybe over there?"

"I'll check." Brandi opened the door, and looked inside. "Yep, here they are."

They all retrieved their belongings, Larka carrying Fell's. With one last look at the gruesome corpse, they walked outside. Fell was there, wiping the blood on his arm away with a random purple drape that had fallen on the ground. After Larka gave him his items, they went to find the exit.

*****

They stepped outside of the building at last, to see an astonishing sight.

There was no ground. Instead, they were standing on clouds. They had been teleported to a building in the sky.

"It's incredible…" Mana said in disbelief.

"I didn't know it was possible to access the sky," Rue commented. "Learn something new every day."

"What makes me wonder is how we can stand on these clouds, as if they were solid," Will mused.

"I'm more concerned with figuring out how we are going to get down!" Miles said.

"Actually, I have an idea," Draken announced. "Darche, can you please call one of your friends?"

"No problem." Darche's sword began to glow a violent blue. For several seconds he remained still, just holding the sword in the air, when a mighty roar sounded. Everyone looked up to see three huge Blue Eyes White Dragons flying towards them.

"No need for alarm," Draken assured. "These are some of Darche's pals. They can fly us back to the ground, or so I hope."

The Blue Eyes White Dragons landed, and examined the companions with soft hisses.

"They're friends, ok?" Darche told them. "We need your help getting down. Up for it?"

The dragon in the center laid its tail on the clouds, forming a crude ladder to its back. The other two followed its example. 

"I guess we'll take that as a yes," Hope assumed.

All of the Soul Monsters besides Darche vanished into their Soul Cards. Miles, Draken, and Darche boarded the middle Blue Eyes. Darche had to be there to lead the way for the beast. Larka, Fell, Rue, and Will got on another, and Hope managed to convince Max to board the third, Brandi coming as well.

"Hold on guys, this might be a little rough!" Darche warned, before whispering commands to the dragon he rode. The dragon roared again, and then dove through a gap in the clouds, the other two following. 

Miles held onto the dragon for dear life, having nearly been knocked off when it took off. "Oy! You said a LITTLE rough?! Understatement of the year!"

"Don't take my lines," Will called over to him as the other dragons flew by.

As they were being brought closer to the earth, Hope leaned over to Max and asked him, "Have you ever seen these dragons before? Like, in your dreams?"

"…No…"

_So it wasn't a Blue Eyes… then what was it? I don't know of any other big, blue creatures…_

Her thoughts were cut off as the dragons landed on the shore near the lake, extending their tails again. Nobody hesitated in leaping off except Draken and Darche, who bid the dragons a farewell before they flew off. The Soul Monsters emerged as well.

"I am NEVER doing that again," Miles panted. "NEVER EVER."

"It just takes some getting used to," Draken said. "I've rode one several times, and it's very fun once you are comfortable with it."

"No way am I going to give them the chance to make me enjoy it," Miles retorted. 

"Your loss," Draken shrugged. "Well, we made it back without a hitch. Now what should we do?"

"Rika said something about… 'the Commanders of Heaven'," Hope pointed out. "Does that mean we have yet another religious group to deal with?"

"I don't know…" Draken shrugged. "She immediately knew I was once a General of Hell though, even though I discarded the orb of fire I used to wear. I wonder… are they like us, except trying to bring forth God?"

"Oh geez, I hope not," Hope replied. "It was easy enough to see Satan as an enemy, but God… well, he stands for good. How can we fight that?"

"We're jumping to conclusions," Rue realized. "Let's just deal with these guys first. I mean, think about it. If they are able to kill people in Teknisk Wereld, we know it isn't a good thing."

Brandi turned to Miles. "Were you in this group? You seemed to recognize Rika."

Miles nodded. "Yep…"

"Were they the ones who attacked Max?"  
Miles sighed. "Yes. That is why everyone is surprised about Max being alive. Hey Max, I suggest taking off the cloak you wear. If you keep it on, you'll be very easy to identify."

Max pressed the button on his Duel Disk, vanishing. A minute later, he was back, without the cloak.

"Yeah, much better," Miles assured.

Before anyone else could say anything, all of their Duel Disks suddenly began to glow with a soft, yellow light. Then, to their amazement, a voice came from each one.

"Greetings all duelists. My name is Keith, and I am the one who looks over the rules in Duel Monsters. I am contacting you for two reasons. One is that a new booster pack is out. Look out at the local store for Pharaoh's Inheritance! The second thing? Some of the cards already out are now banned from play. The following cards CANNOT be played any more: Injection Angel Lily, Cyber Pod, Fiber Pod, Yatagarasu, Mischievous Demon Twins, Distressing Choice, Change of Heart, Thunderbolt, Harpy's Feather Sweep, and Imperial Decree. So everyone, please remove those cards from your deck immediately. Thank you for listening, and have a nice day." Then the Duel Disks lost their glow.

Everyone but Max, Fell, and Ruecian only had one thing to say to that.

"DAMN IT!"

*****

The man in the white cloak smirked.

"While these restrictions do harm us, they hurt them much more. This should be easier than I thought…"

*****

Rue looked at the last card he had pulled out of his deck. "Why Injection Angel Lily? That card is special to me, damn it! Whoever thought of these dumb rules is going to suffer a painful death."

"On the plus side, those new cards came out," Gen pointed out. 

"Yeah. Let's go to the store and get some packs," Hope suggested.

The idea was agreed to, and they made their way there.

*****

After some walking, they were soon entering the store.

"You guys sure got here quickly!" Hector said. "I assume you want some of the new packs?"

"That's right."

"Each pack costs $4. How many do each of you want?"

Hope reached for her wallet. "Three for each person… and three for Claire… that makes thirty packs."

"What?! Geez, I'm going to be sold out at this rate."

"It's alright, I'm paying," Hope told the others. "My mom gave me a lot of money for my birthday."

After thanking Hector and Hope, they left to see what they gotten.

Rue looked in his first pack. "Score! I got Black Magic!"

Will smirked. "I got Dragon Knight Gaia."

"…You suck."

"Yep. I can get a lot of money off of this."

The others did not explain what they had got, reading over the cards and putting a few in their decks.

"How about we go back to the lake?" Rue asked. "I don't think the mountains are a good idea after what happened, or the forest."

"True," Will nodded. "Alright then."

*****

Back at the peaceful shore, they were now discussing what to do next.

"We don't know enough information," Larka pointed out. She was pretending to have gotten over Fell's comments, but still felt an ache in her heart. 

"With the Generals of Hell, we searched all of Teknisk Wereld, finding at least one in each area. Well, except for the sky, and some other locations," Gaston recalled.

"So what we need to do is the same as what we did last time?" Neo inquired.

"Sounds like it," Mana replied. "The only problem is where to start looking? Any ideas Miles?"

"I don't know that much," he sighed. "If I did, I'd tell you, but I can't read the minds of my former companions."

As usual, Max had been silent until this point. He was unsure of what they were talking about, and feeling lost, gazed at his surroundings.

That was when he saw, from behind Hope, a flash of metal.

Max didn't know what he was doing, and why. Normally, he would have been frightened stiff, unable to do a thing. But he found himself lunging at Hope, knocking both of them to the ground as a switch blade sliced the air where Hope's head had been seconds ago.

Gaston was up in a flash, swinging his sword at the attacker. The opponent blocked the sword strike with right hand, gripping Gaston's arm. His left fist connected with Gaston's chest. Normally, this would not have done much damage, but electricity came from his fist, causing Gaston to be thrown back with a cry of pain.

This was the first time that they got a clear view of the attacker. Hope could see that he was not a human immediately. Although his blue, long sleeved, shirt and pants, with some gray, fit around him so that you could not see any skin, she had caught sight of metal underneath his sleeve when he had attacked. Still, many could be deceived by his appearance. His right hand was black, in the shape of a human hand. His left was a very shiny, light silver, and looked as if it were a normal hand with armor on it. This was the one the electricity had come from; blue light still danced around it. On his left arm was the switch blade; it was on his outside side, and was coming straight out of his arm. It looked like its position could be changed though. His feet were more like silver boots. The upper chest area still had human skin, and his head was normal enough. His hair was short and brown, and his eyes were a stunning blue. Even though Hope could swear that he was a machine of some sort, his eyes seemed to show that he was truly alive, even though they did not show friendliness. 

She noticed this in only a second, for he was attacking again. Gaston was still trying to recover from the previous strike, so Brandi had taken action. She dodged his switch blade and punched him as hard as she could at his waist. A clang echoed through the area as she jumped back with a yelp. Her fist had connected with his metal body. Although unhurt, the man staggered back, which is when Fell decided to help. He leapt at the man and tried to deal a blow to his head. Although Fell was moving very swiftly, the attacker was quick as well. He ducked and brought his switch blade up, at Fell's chest. Fell immediately rolled away, and tried attacking from another angle. The man simply grabbed his arm with his right hand, and then attempted to slice him. Fell barely managed to stop the blade in time by grasping the man's arm.

By this time, Brandi had recovered, and had sneaked up behind the man. Now she attacked, punching at his head. To her surprise, the man let go of Fell and jumped out of the way. Fell pursued him immediately.

Throughout this whole time, the others had tried to stay away from the fighting, knowing that too many at once would only confuse their best battlers. Draken was getting concerned though. None of the attacks seemed to have any effect on their opponent.

"Darche! Get help!"

Darche nodded, and held his sword up as it began to glow blue.

At this time, Brandi had tried to hit his head again, figuring that was his most vulnerable area. Her attack didn't go through as he leapt away.

A roar signaled the arrival of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. This time, only one had come, but it was formidable enough. It snarled at the stranger it saw.

Brandi and Fell got out of the way immediately as the dragon opened its mouth, lightning beginning to form.

The man lost no time in running forward to the dragon.

"Is he trying to commit suicide?!" Rue exclaimed. "I don't care how strong he is; no human can take on a dragon and win, virtual or not!"

The man's left fist once again began to glow with blue light as he slammed it into the Blue Eyes White Dragon's leg. A huge explosion rocked the ground as the dragon was electrocuted, electricity flying everywhere. Screaming in pain, the dragon took flight, away towards the mountains, barely managing to stay in the air as electricity lanced through its body still.

The man sighed wearily, looking at his hand, which had stopped sparking. "It looks like I overdid it that time…"

Brandi got into a fighting stance again as their opponent turned to them. This time, he made no move to attack.

"We are too well-matched. A definite victor won't be decided for quite some time. We will have to solve this in a simpler method." His voice wasn't robotic at all; it was just a normal, deep tone.

"And let me guess; that requires a duel. Why we are still putting our lives on a card game, I have no idea," Rue commented.

Hope had recovered from the attack, and was now standing, preparing her Duel Disk. "I guess I'll duel, if someone must. That is, if you've recovered Gaston."

Gaston nodded, getting up slowly. "I was more surprised than hurt…"

The switch blade retracted into the man's arm. He took out a Duel Disk and strapped it on in place. "Then it will be done."

"I'm Hope," she introduced. "And you are…?"

"Cyborg #0001."

"What?!" everyone shouted.

"A… cyborg? But our technology isn't great enough!" Brandi protested. 

Neo seemed confused. "Will, what is a cyborg? I've never heard you mention them."

"It's a human whose body has been replaced by machinery, or electronic devices. But it's impossible to pull this off without killing the human. And a dead human cannot work, for there would be no soul to control the body…"

"There is a way around that," the cyborg stated. "I was killed. Yet I have been revived, into this cursed existence." He activated his Duel Disk. "Talking will get us nowhere. Let us begin this duel. The loser is to die at the winner's hands."

"As usual, I see."

Larka turned to Miles. "Have you heard anything about this?"

Miles shook his head. "No… I had no idea the Commanders of Heaven would do something like this."

"It's too late to do anything about it now," Draken pointed out as the duelists drew their cards.

Hope: 8000

Cyborg #0001: 8000

"Hm… how about you go first?" Hope offered.

"If that is what you wish. I lay two cards down, and summon Cypher Scouter. (1350/1800) Then it is your turn."

_Odd… why would he summon such a weak creature in attack mode? He must have a trap down… there's no other explanation._ "I play Tempest! This will destroy your two face down cards!"

"They were Attack Nullification and Cry of the Living Dead."

"Good! Now I summon Dark Hero: Zombire! (2100/500) He will attack your Cypher Scouter!"

The beast dashed forward to strike down the Cypher Scouter, but to Hope's amazement, the Cypher Scouter blocked the blow, and counterattacked, killing her Warrior.

"What happened?"

"Whenever my Cypher Scouter battles a Warrior Sub-Type, it gains 2000 attack and defense during the damage step. (3350/3800)"

Hope: 6750

Cyborg #0001: 8000

"All of my monsters are Warriors… this could get difficult. I lay one card down and end."

"I summon Bowgunian. (1300/1000) Both of my monsters attack directly."

"I activate Reactive Armor! This will destroy your Cypher Scouter!"

"That will not stop my Bowgunian."

Hope: 5450

Cyborg #0001: 8000

"At least my biggest problem is out of the way… I lay one monster in defense."

"Whenever I enter my standby phase, Bowgunian deals 600 damage to your Life Points."

Hope: 4850

Cyborg #0001: 8000

"Now I summon Cannon Soldier. (1400/1300) Then I activate Limiter Removal. This doubles all of my Machine Sub-Types' attack. (2600) (2800) Now my Bowgunian will attack your defense monster."

"Severing Samurai... (500/800)"

"Then Cannon Soldier attacks directly."

Hope: 2050

Cyborg #0001: 8000

"Normally, my monsters would be destroyed at the end phase of my turn, due to Limiter Removal. However, there is another way I can go about this. I will activate my Cannon Soldier's ability. By sacrificing a monster on my side of the field, you lose 500 Life Points. So I sacrifice Bowgunian and Cannon Soldier. Yes, he can be the target of his own ability."

Hope: 1050

Cyborg #0001: 8000

"This Machine deck is a lot different from Jason's," Rue noticed. "It seems more of a beatdown style than anything."

Hope looked at her next card, and shrugged. "Worth a try. I lay one card down, and summon Troop Commander! (1200/400) With his special ability, I call forth Blade Knight! Since I have only one card in my hand, his attack is raised by 400! (2000/1000) Both of my monsters attack directly!"

Hope: 1050

Cyborg #0001: 4800

"I lay one card down, and summon Magic Reflector Reflect Bounder. (1700/1000) Do you know what it does?"

"Yes… if I attack it, I take damage equal to my attack power. But I have no monsters who can kill it without finishing off my own Life Points!"

"Correct. Reflect Bounder attacks the Troop Commander."

"You've run into my Magic Cylinder! You lose 1700 Life Points."

Hope: 1050

Cyborg #0001: 3100

"Then I have nothing else to do."

Hope looked at the card in her hand. _There's one card that can pull this off for me…_ She looked at her next card. "This will help. I play Jar of Greed, drawing two cards. Yes! Now I sacrifice my two monsters to summon Buster Blader! (2600/2300) Then I equip him with The Fused Weapon, Murasame Blade! This raises his attack by 800! (3400/2300) Now I will activate Gaston's Deck Master ability! By paying 1000 Life Points, one of my monsters can attack you directly, so I obviously choose Buster Blader! Attack him!"

"Think again. I activate my face down card, Holy Barrier-Mirror Force. Your monster is destroyed."

"Not true! Gaston's ability also has a second benefit. The attacking monster is immune to any magics or traps you activate when it attacks!"

Hope: 50

Cyborg #0001: 0

The cyborg shut off his Duel Disk. "Well done. Since you have won, you will be the one to live." He walked up to her, and kneeled down. "The best way to find a weak point would be the back of my neck. That is where many of my most important circuits are."

"What are you talking about?" Hope asked nervously.

"Since you are the winner, you are the one who is to kill me."

"What?! But… I can't do that!" she protested, horrified.

"It is the rules of the duel. Normally, I would save you from the guilt of it, but I am unable to. You will have to be the one who casts the death blow."

To be continued…


	9. A Heated Battle

Sorry if my updates are slow, I'm officially hooked to Legend of Dragoon. @_@

LunaticChaos: I do too, which is why I had it happen. _

YugiFan: You can't make me update! *Looks at newest chapter* …You saw nothing! _

***Chapter 9: A Heated ****Battle*******

Hope stood before the cyborg, not knowing what to do. This was the first time that someone's life had been in her hands. If she said one word, he would die. She didn't like the feeling at all, especially with everyone watching her.

"But why? Why must this be done? Why more senseless death? There's been enough already!" Hope protested.

"It is the rules of the game that I die," the cyborg responded.

"Rules can be broken, and I'm completely sick of them," Hope said fiercely, making up her mind. "I refuse to kill you! I don't care who made up that stupid rule, I'm not following it!"

"…" The cyborg sighed, rising. "I dislike it, but if you insist, I cannot force you to kill me. Normally, I would be more persuasive, but I have no desire to cause you to feel guilt over killing…" _Like what I have been through…_

"You sound like you know about the matter," Hope commented.

"Hm? No, it's nothing…"

_How can I begin to tell anyone about it?_

FLASHBACK

_The battleground was stained a permanent red from the blood that had been spilled. It wasn't like he could see the ground well anyway. There were too many corpses in the way._

_He was the only person alive._

_But it wouldn't be that way for long._

_In his hand was the switch blade he always carried. Now it was impossible to identify, except by shape. It was covered in so much blood, all from his opponents._

_Soon it would be coated with another's._

END FLASHBACK

_The past is too painful… no, I cannot even begin to explain._

"So what will you do now?" Hope inquired. "Go to the Commanders of Heaven?"

"I was hired by them, and do not really care about them." He shrugged. "I really have nowhere to go. Still, I suppose I owe you something for allowing me to live, whether I like it or not. So if there are no objections, I shall accompany all of you."

Miles was the first to respond. "I think this guy can be trusted. He looks less shifty than me, and you accepted me, so why not him?"

"You have a point," Draken said. "I have no objections; does anyone else have any?"

Nobody spoke.

"Looks like we have yet another addition to our ever-growing party," Gaston commented.

Hope wasn't completely satisfied though. "What is your real name? You said that you were human once-you must have had a name then. I am not going to call you Cyborg #0001 the whole time I know you."

"…" _Normally, I would not tell anyone this information. Why do I explain myself to them? _

"You can call me Zack."

"Why do you want to be referred to as Cyborg #0001 when you have a name that's actually interesting?" Neo asked.

Rue broke through the discussion. "That's really nice, but we need to decide what we are going to do next. Zack, do you know any information about where we could find another Commander of Heaven?"

"I have some idea of a location. I think I heard that one would be going to the volcano."

"A volcano?" Hope raised her eyebrow. "I never heard of that area."

"There's an island somewhere beyond the lake," Rue explained. "Remember how we ran into the cold area? Well, there is more than just that. One of the islands has a great volcano. We're lucky it is programmed not to explode, or everyone in range would probably die."

"Wouldn't that be a dangerous place to be in?" Larka inquired.

"Maybe, but I'm willing to bet that they have some way of getting around the hazards," Gen stated.

"True. If that's the case, we can't die either by an eruption," Will pointed out.

"Then that will be our next location," Brandi decided. "I have a Skull Blood Pirate ship we can ride. Let's find a good launching point, and then we can leave."

That being agreed upon, they were soon walking around the lake, Rue leading the way.

Hope and Max were towards the back of the group, which gave her the chance to ask Max something privately.

"Max, why did you save me from Zack's attack? It isn't like you…"

Max seemed to think about this for a few minutes, before answering.

"I think… because I love you." Then he walked to the front of the group.

Hope almost fell over in shock. 

_Love?__ What? That's impossible. Max… he just wouldn't love someone besides his sister. Even if he did, he'd never admit it! It's the amnesia… it's caused him to say the weirdest things._

_Yet, why do I find myself wishing what he said was true? _She wiped her eyes hastily. _Why are my eyes watering? Is it possible… that I…_

"This is a good location!" Draken called.

She shook her head. She'd think about that later.

Brandi pulled out a card, and out came a black and red ship, with a red skull at the front.

"All aboard!" Miles yelled.

Everyone made it up easily, except for Neo. He slipped and fell into the water, and had to be dragged onboard by Gaston and Darche.

"Nice way to start the trip," Neo grumbled, wringing out his headband.

*****

It took some time to get to the island, as they had to leave the lake and enter the ocean, but they could instantly tell it was the right place. Somewhat large, on the far back of it was the volcano. Three of its sides were completely bordered by the sea. The fourth had a small, cave-like opening, which is how they found their way in.

There was a pathway above the magma thankfully. The volcano was completely lit up by the red glow, so they had no trouble navigating. It was uncomfortably hot though. The Soul Monsters didn't seem to mind the heat. However, everyone else except Fell and Zack was soon showing just how uncomfortable it was.

"How much farther?" Miles groaned, wiping sweat from above his eyes. "This lava is too much!"

"Hopefully not that much farther," Rue called back. He was leading. "This isn't that big of an area, so it shouldn't take too long."

"And technically, this is magma, not lava," Will corrected. "Magma is still inside the volcano, while lava is outside it."

"Wise guy," Miles grumbled.

A few minutes after that, they stepped through a low-ceiling tunnel. There was a moment when Neo accidentally got stuck, and had to teleport out to retry. Eventually, they all made it through, and examined the place they had come to.

There was a platform, which was what they were standing on. There were also a few rocks which could be used as stepping stones to another platform. Other than that, the area was completely filled with magma.

"A dead end," Darche stated.

"Very observant," Miles replied. "Now what do we do? Call 1-800-Kill-A-Commander and tell them their member is late?"

"Ha ha," Draken said dryly. "Somehow, I doubt that would work."

That was when someone suddenly teleported in. She was a woman with short, red hair, and brown eyes. She wore a white cloak, but threw it off to reveal a yellow t-shirt and orange shorts. Around her neck was another one of those large, golden crosses.

A massive creature rose from the magma at the same time. It was a horrifying sight. The monster looked to be made out of lava, and had a distant shape of some terrifying beast. Its eyes and mouth were black, and in its hand it carried a cage.

The woman looked them over. "Ah, so you are the ones who keep interrupting us?"

"Probably so," Gen agreed. "And you are…?"

"Madura is my name. My friend here is Lavos, a Lava Golem. So you came here, thinking you could stop me? It won't be that easy." She pressed a few buttons on her Duel Disk. "I have just set the conditions for this duel. I will be challenging one of you to a duel. If you win, you may all leave freely. If you lose, not only will the duelist be burned to death by Lavos, but the rest of you will be slain as this volcano erupts!"

"Just great," Rue snarled. 

"Don't even bother trying to teleport," Madura warned. "I have put up a shield that stops all forms of teleportation. That includes my own Duel Disk. Now that the rules have been stated, it is time to choose an opponent. Lavos! Reveal the one with the weakest spirit, soul, and heart!"

The Lava Golem held out the hand that did not have the cage. It began to glow with a red light.

Everyone stared in awe as Max began to glow in the same manner. He stumbled backwards, staring at his hands, as the glow faded.

"Then you will be my opponent!" Madura declared. "Refusal will be the same as losing; the volcano will explode, killing you all! So I advise you accept!"

Max stared at her in fear, shaking his head. "I can't…"

Hope went up to him. "Matt and I helped teach you how to play, remember? You're a great learner, and I'm sure you can do well here! All you have to do is remember what you have been taught, and you'll be fine. Remember that as long as you stand strong, you cannot lose. Try your hardest, and you will prevail."

Brandi approached him as well. "We have complete faith in you," she said. "I always will, as I have before."

Max gave her a confused look.

"We're all right behind you," Hope assured. "So go ahead. We know you can do it."

Even though he was still very unsure about this, Max couldn't bring himself to just hand over all of their lives.

"…Alright…"

"Then let us begin!" Madura announced. Lavos suddenly swung the cage at Max with blinding speed, causing a bright glow to blind everyone.

When they could see again, their eyes were greeted with one of the most horrifying battlegrounds. The cage Lavos held was suspended over the magma, Max inside. Max staggered up, only to become petrified as he stared into the eyes of the beast that was before him.

Mana grabbed Brandi, who had been about to jump at Madura. "Don't!" she hissed. "One wrong move and Max will suffer even worse!"

This caused her to calm slightly, but her glare grew no softer.

"It'll be ok!" Hope shouted to him. "As long as you believe in yourself, it'll be ok! And we believe in you, so you have every right to believe in yourself!"

This caused Max to break out of his paralyzed state. Although his hands shook madly from fright, he still managed to press the buttons on his Duel Disk.

Max: 8000

Madura: 8000

"I think I will take all honors in going first," Madura declared. "I play Hellblaze! This magic card causes me to lose 500 Life Points, but you lose 1000!"

Max cried out as he was slammed by a wall of flame.

Max: 7000

Madura: 7500

"Now I will activate Lavos' ability. By discarding one card from my hand, you lose 1000 Life Points. So I discard this Death Koala (1100/1800), and you lose 1000 Life Points!"

The cage erupted in flames, the roaring fire muffling Max's scream.

Max: 6000

Madura: 7500

"Now I lay three cards down, and one monster. It's your turn."

Max got up shakily, looking at his hand. Although he was terrified, he had to continue.

"I… play Executioner Makyura… (1600/1200)"

"Geez Hope," Rue said. "I knew that he liked you, but he even imitated you deck?"

"That's only one card," Gaston pointed out. "For all we know, he could be using a Dark deck."

"Attack…"

"You have run straight into my Emissary of Harmony!"

"…Five cards down… end turn."

"WHOA!" Miles exclaimed. "FIVE?!"

"Overkill, much?" Neo said, equally amazed.

"It makes no difference! I summon Cannon Soldier! Now I flip over Metamol Pot. (700/900) This forces us to each draw five cards. Then, I activate my trap card, Rapid Machine Gun! This does 200 LP damage times the number of cards you have on the field and in your hand! That is eleven, so 2200 damage!"

Max: 3800

Madura: 7500

"Then I play Torture Room of Nightmares! Whenever I do direct damage, you take 300 more damage then usual!"

Max slowly flipped over one of his face down cards.

"Curse of Magic-Sealing…" He discarded an Exploding Sacrifice Embrace.

"That means my other one is useless as well… dang it! In that case, I activate Destruction Ring on your Executioner Makyura!"

This time, Max was ready, activating his Bandit's Swiss Army Knife.

Max: 2800

Madura: 7500

"Damn… I sacrifice my Metamol Pot, and Cannon Soldier. Then I play Black Hole!"

Max: 1800

Madura: 7500

Max played a card from his hand.

"Avatar of Apophis… (1600/1800)"

"What?! That's a trap from your hand?"

"An Apophis? What the heck?" Draken muttered.

"I see… a trap deck?" Gen realized. "Interesting idea."

"And Executioner Makyura is perfect, since he allows Max to play traps from his hand," Hope continued.

"Argh! I can only end…"

Max looked at his next card. "Pharaoh's Shrine…"

"What does that do?" Madura asked.

"All of my traps do not need to wait to be activated… one card down, attack, and end…"

Max: 1800

Madura: 5900

"Pathetic! That is what this is! I discard Babel Tower to do 1000 more damage!"

The fires were not any less painful. When it was over, everyone could see the burn marks that covered Max's body.

Max: 800

Madura: 5900

"Then I lay one monster, and two other cards!"

"Activate face down card… Avatar of Apophis… (1600/1800) Sacrifice one to summon Holy Beast Selket. (2500/2000) Selket attacks…"

"My Balloon Lizard! (400/1900)"

"Then Avatar attacks…"

"Activate Scape Goat! You must destroy my sheep to get to me!"

"Selket's attack raises by 500 for every monster it destroys… (3000/2000) End turn…"

She drew, and smirked. "I play Jar of Greed. You see, for me to use Lavos' effect, I must have two cards or more, therefore…"

"Spirit Mirror… direct the Jar of Greed's effects to me…"

"If only I had not been overly confident!" she snarled. "End turn…"

_Something's not right,_ Zack noticed. _Even thought she is losing, and is furious, she still seems somewhat unconcerned… _He quietly walked away from his companions, closer to the magma. Nobody noticed him leave.

"Attack the goats, end…"

"No! This won't help! I can only lay one monster and end…"

"Draw, and play Raise Dead on Cannon Soldier. Summon Blood Vors. Cannon Soldier attacks the last goat… Blood Vors attacks your monster…"

"My Stealth Bird! No! (700/1700)"

"Apophis, Selket, attack directly…"

Max: 800

Madura: 1300

"Now sacrifice my three monsters for Cannon Soldier to win…"

Max: 800

Madura: 0

"Brilliant!" Rue exclaimed.

"More like she screwed herself," Miles joked. "She shouldn't have played that Cannon Soldier."

Madura's calm face was now twisted in anger. "I cannot believe this! Cannot! It's impossible!"

"It just happened," Neo disagreed.

"Enough of this foolishness! Lavos, kill him!"

The Lava Golem seemed to concentrate, and the cage lit up yet again, this time much fiercer. Max's scream of pain was an awful thing to hear.

"He'll die if this keeps up!" Larka cried, pale.

Hope had already grabbed a card out of her pocket, and was now sliding it in. She waited a second, and then activated it. "Attack Nullification!"

The flames were too thickly crowded for them to see Max, but they seemed to part from the middle.

They had been too worried about Max to notice Brandi. That's why her voice surprised them.

"That bitch… I'LL KILL YOU!"

Everyone stared in shock as she leapt over the stones, landing in front of Madura, and slammed her fist into her rib cage. A sharp snap sounded. Then Brandi slammed her into the ground, breaking her left arm, which is when Madura pressed a button on her Duel Disk with her right hand.

"Too late girl… the volcano will explode anyway. You're finished. And your brother will never make it."

With a howl of rage, Brandi punched Madura with all her might, to the skull. To her shock, her fist went through the skull, crushing it completely. 

Brandi nervously stepped away, her hands dripping with blood, bone, and brain matter. She looked at her hands, horrified at her own actions.

Lavos immediately stopped trying to burn Max, staring at his master's corpse in surprise. Although weakened, Max had seen the whole thing. What had happened to the nice girl who had tried to comfort him? How had she turned into this cold killer? Even though she looked the same on the outside, the gruesome remains on her hands were enough to tell him that she was a monster.

Then the volcano began to shake. The eruption was about to begin.

Lavos had been severely weakened when Madura had died. As part of the ceiling collapsed, hitting him, it was the last thing he could take. With a howl, he fell towards the magma. 

When he fell, the cage exploded into flames. Max fell through, and unable to stop himself, plunged towards the lava.

Brandi had been in a shocked state ever since she had slain Madura. But the sight of her brother about to die drove her thoughts away from the murder.

"NO!" She was about to leap after him, but Mana grabbed her firmly, dragging her away. "LET ME GO!"

"It's too late!" Mana cried, pulling her out of the room.

"Evacuate!" Gaston yelled to them. "We'll be burned to death otherwise!"

They barely managed to leave the room in time, as Lavos crashed into the magma, never to emerge again. The magma splashed around the room. If they had stayed, they would have been killed, as Gaston had stated. But it made Brandi no happier.

"Max… MAX!" She tried to escape Mana's grip again.

"Brandi, stop! Nothing can be done now!" Mana sobbed. "Don't make the death toll go up even more, please!"

Neo ran over to help restrain her.

"We have to leave, now!" Will shouted. "If we run fast enough, we might make it!"

It took both Neo and Mana to manage to tug Brandi along, as the rest ran for it, almost losing balance several times because of the shaking mountain.

Hope looked around the group. _I feel like someone's missing… Max of course… why? Why did he have to die?!_

*****

They ran outside of the volcano, and after making it a respectable distance, looked back.

Brandi had given up trying to run back, just staring at the volcano. "Max…"

Hope clenched her fists, willing herself not to cry. Not yet. They had to get away first. 

"The ships are ready!" Rue announced. "Let's get in, quickly!"

Hope cast one last look at the volcano entrance. That was when she was it. A figure running towards them.

"Guys! Over here! You won't believe it!" Hope shouted.

It was Zack. He had several burn marks all over, but seemed alright otherwise. In his arms was Max. Although severely burned, and battered, he still breathed.

"Zack! But how?!" she asked as he arrived.

"No time to explain," he cut off. "We can't stay!"

"Too true!" Miles agreed as Zack jumped onboard. "Let's make like Christopher Columbus and set sail!"

"That made no sense," Gaston pointed out as Draken spun the wheel on the ship, moving it away from the island.

An explosion sounded. The volcano had begun to show eruption signs on the outside.

"It wasn't supposed to. I'm too weird to make sense," Miles replied calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Brandi had ignored all this, running over to Zack. He laid Max on a more stabilized area of the ship, and Brandi instantly examined him, checking his pulse. It was there, weak but steady.

"I might have something to treat burns…" she muttered, searching her pocket. Luckily, the blood and grime had washed away when her hands had been in the ocean. "Here! Goblin Secret Remedy should help." A few emerald green, shining leaves with blue dewdrops appeared in her hand. She carefully pressed them against her brother's burned skin. The skin healed a little, but was still severely injured by not only burns, but cuts and bruises.

"It's too severe… he needs a doctor," Larka stated, kneeling beside Brandi. Hope joined them as well. "We should take him to Claire. She could help, right?"

"Possibly," Hope said, grimacing at the wounds. She then turned to Zack. "What happened in the volcano?"

"I thought something was amiss; Madura seemed too confident. I strayed from the group, in case something should happen. When Lavos fell into the magma, you ran, but Max was higher in the air. One of the special devices I have are these… what would you call them? Hoverers, I guess. I can remain in the air for a short amount of time. My metal body is designed to withstand any kind of heat conditions, so it was no trouble to fly over, grab Max, and get back to land. I almost didn't make it in time, but managed to stay in the air long enough to land safely. Then it was just a matter of running."

"Thank you for saving him," Hope said. "I'm sure Brandi is grateful as well."

She nodded absentmindedly, more worried about Max, as he suddenly stirred.

"Larka and Zack, please stand back," Hope requested. "We can't have him feel too crowded."

They obliged, and Max's eyes opened. The first thing he saw was Brandi, her face clouded with worry over him. Immediately remembering what had happened in the volcano, he tried to back away. He managed to move a little, before dropping with a moan of pain.

Hope tried to comfort him. "Max, it's ok! It's just Brandi!"

But he would not be reassured. He kept trying to rise, even though he was too weak to even move one inch.

Brandi looked at her hands, remembering the feel of the warm, sticky blood on them. And she knew what Max was thinking; the same thing she was.

She had killed someone, and was now a monster because of it.

To be continued…


	10. The Morons Are Back!

Another inside joke chapter, enjoy!

Whispering Hope: o_O;;; Riiight. Oh, and Legend of Dragoon rocks. _

LunaticChaos: What personality things are you talking about? I like trying to keep my characters with unique personalities, so I'm glad someone thought they were different. I like moral situations as well, so expect more!

***Chapter 10: The Morons Are Back!***

Hope examined Max's Duel Disk. "Guys, I'm going back with Max. I'll have Claire begin to take care of him. I should be the only one to go; the less the better for Max. Let's meet back at the town, and then we can go on. In front of the hotel, how about?" She turned to Brandi. "Is that ok?"

Although Brandi wanted to make sure he would be alright, she didn't want him threatened by her. She got up and dejectedly walked away.

Larka stood. "I'm going to talk with her. See you later Hope, Max." She ran off after Brandi, who was at the other side of the ship now.

Hope pressed the button on Max's Duel Disk, teleporting him out. Then she followed.

The others went over to the front of the ship, to give Brandi and Larka some privacy. Most of the talk was about where their next location should be, and eventually it was decided that they would ask Hector if he had seen any mysterious people hanging around town.

Brandi was staring into the water, just thinking, barely noticing as Larka came up beside her, leaning her arms against the rail.

"It's a nice day, regardless of what has happened," Larka said.

Brandi sighed, looking over at her friend, and was shocked. The wind was blowing Larka's hair back, revealing, for the first time, her ears to Brandi. Like dog ears, they were slanted down, as though trying to keep out the wind that rushed by.

"What the…?!"

Larka looked over at her. "Oh, these? Well, you would have found out sooner or later anyway. After seeing Fell kill Rikku with his bare hands, you didn't think we were normal, did you?"

Brandi shook her head.

"Soon, the others will know as well. Just not yet." Larka looked over to her friend. "You feel guilty, don't you?"

"How could I not?"

"Killing is never a good thing. We do not solve anything through murder. Mindless slaughter should never have to occur. But what you did is something that you cannot be blamed for. Max would have surely died if you had not killed Madura. And Madura would have only killed many, many more people. So technically, you saved more lives than were lost." She looked into the sea. "We all have times where we must do things we dislike. One day, although I despise the idea, I will probably be forced to kill. Fell has already had to do it too many times. Our unnatural talents attract unwanted attention, unfortunately." She turned to leave. "Brandi, you will still feel guilty after this. I can sense that. And I know you are worried about Max. But this is something I cannot help with. It is between you and your brother. It might take a while, but the rift between you can be mended. To build that bridge is up to you though. Oh, one last thing." She paused. "You will never get over how you killed Madura. Do not even try to forget it. You must remember, for it teaches an important lesson." Then she walked to the front of the ship, where her other friends were.

Brandi stayed where she was, thinking over what she had been told.

*****

Hope looked over at Max immediately, detaching the Envoyant Machine, and then his as well. He was too weak to even do that simple act.

She went to the guest room, and found Claire replacing some bandages on Fell's arm.

"Oh, you're back!" she exclaimed, rising. "Hi! What's new?"

"We have an urgent problem." Hope hastily explained what had happened to Max.

"That sounds severe," Claire said, getting her first aid kit together as she spoke. "I'd best see him right away."

"Right."

They entered Hope's room, where she led Claire to Max. He looked at her nervously, as Hope stepped over to him.

"It's ok Max. You're in serious pain, but Claire can heal you. She will never intentionally harm you. If you are hurt, it is because you will be healed quicker. You must put your trust into her, and do everything she asks, ok? I promise that if you do this, you will be better much faster. Please trust her, for me."

Max slightly nodded.

"I'll go to work right away," Claire assured. "Are you going back to Teknisk Wereld?"

"Soon. I want to get some cards from the nearby store though. Madura showed us that the Commanders of Heaven will go to any level to get what they want."

"Wise. Well, I'll see you soon!" Claire began to pull out some medications from her bag. "Max, try to relax please. I must apply some of these before doing anything else…"

Hope closed the door and walked downstairs. She had grown used to being without food for a few days, but she took the time to eat something before leaving the house.

It was when she saw the card shop in the distance when it happened. Two men walked over to the front of her, wearing the black suit that all officials of Teknisk Wereld had.

"Greetings," Hope said politely. "Excuse me, but you are blocking the way I want to go."

"I'm afraid that is the point," the official to the left said. "You are Hope Gales, correct?"

"Yes, why?"

The one to the right brought forth a pair of handcuffs. "Hope Gales, you are under arrest for massacre and destruction of safeguards."

*****

The ship vanished as the last person onboard, Draken, left it. Brandi pocketed the card, and they began to walk towards the town.

"Do you think Hope will already be there?" Gaston asked. He was naturally worried, since he only felt comfortable when the one he was to protect was nearby.

"She was probably there hours ago," Darche assured. "She had much more time to get there then us."

"True…"

When they entered the town, they went immediately towards the hotel. But when they arrived there, Hope was nowhere to be found, not even inside it.

"That's odd," Draken frowned. "She should have been here a long time ago."

"Maybe she went to Hector's?" Neo suggested.

With no better ideas, they made their way over, entering the card shop.

"Hi guys! Whoa, looks like you picked up another new friend," Hector noticed as he saw Zack. "Hey, where's Hope?"

"That's what we were hoping you would know." Rue proceeded to explain that Hope should have been at the hotel hours ago, but wasn't.

"I don't like this," Hector said when Rue was done. "I'm sorry, but all I can really suggest is to search around the town. If I see her, I'll tell her to go to the hotel, ok?"

"Thanks Hector," Rue replied as they left. "See you later."

They searched the rest of the town with no luck whatsoever. Gaston was hiding his emotions well, but inside he was frantic with worry.

"How about the mountains?" Larka suggested. "I don't know why Hope would have gone there, but it's better to keep looking than do nothing."

"Yeah, I don't like the idea of just sitting around," Miles agreed. "So let's move on out."

"This reminds me of the time we met Zenith," Rue murmured to Will. "Do you think…?"

"It's possible. All the more reason to search at full speed."

*****

At the foot of the mountains, they were having very little success.

"Nothing so far," Gen said. "Maybe we should move on to a new area?"

"Not yet," Brandi disagreed. The loss of her friend had made her put aside her worries for the time being. "Let's just look a little bit longer."

Suddenly, a crash sounded behind them. They turned, to see a teen tripping over a rock, with two others tripping over him. 

Rue groaned. "Oh no… not them again!"

One of them was still wearing his pink shirt and purple flowered pants. The other recognizable figure was wearing his orange shirt and red pants.

This time, there was another with them. He wore a light purple shirt, and dark purple pants. He had short, brown hair, and brown eyes as well.

"Caleb and Ifrit! What are they doing here?" Neo wondered.

Caleb rose slowly. "For revenge ! We were beaten horribly before, but we can win this time !"

Draken looked at them in distaste. "Who are these clowns?"

"I recognize two of them as n00bs we had a *cough* EPIC *cough* battle with," Rue explained.

"Spic? That's racist as hell !" Caleb exclaimed.

Ruecian shook his head Fell raised an eyebrow, and Zack had a hard time keeping a straight face. Everyone else outright laughed at the stupidity of it.

"So who's your new pal?" Rue asked.

"I'm called Buster Blader, for my ownage Buster Blader deck!" the boy announced.

"The word ownage and Buster Blader deck do not deserve to be in the same sentence," Brandi informed him.

"So we'll have to duel to get rid of you morons?" Darche asked.

Their opponent's Soul Monsters appeared then. They recalled the Skull Servant and Dissolverock, but the Flame Ghost was a new one.

"A Flame Ghost? I thought you had a 'splendid' Buster Blader deck," Rue snickered.

"I do! There must have been a mistake at registration!"

The Flame Ghost looked hurt at that.

"So, a three way duel? I'm game!" Miles said.

"I'll join as well," Draken stated.

"I saw these idiots duel before, and was wishing I could have dueled them. Now's my chance," Will finished.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: 8000

Ifrit: 8000

Buster Blader: 8000

"May I go first?" Will drew. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and end."

"It's my turn ! I summon Gearfried! (1800/1600) He's the ultimate monster ! Now I equip him with Legendary Sword, to raise his attack by 300 !"

The Gearfreed took the sword and snapped it in half.

"What ?!"

"You don't even know what your own cards do? That's really pathetic," Larka said. "Gearfreed destroys any equip magic that he is equipped with."

"Oh yeah ?! I use my Skull Servant's effect to fuse Flame Ghost with the help of Ifrit's Dissolverock !"

"Didn't you have to pay 3000 Life Points to do that last time?" Rue asked.

"Buster Blader's Flame Ghost makes it so that I don't have to pay !"

"Figures," Miles muttered.

"I'll summon Kaiser Seahorse, (1750/1550)" Draken said. "Then I lay one card down."

"I've got the ultimate combo!" Ifrit exclaimed. "I summon Lord of Dragons, (1100/1200) and play fifteen Flute of Summoning Dragons to summon thirty Blue Eyes White Dragons! (3000/2500)"

"…That's allowed?" Brandi said in disbelief.

Draken calmly flipped over one of his cards. "I activate Tidal Wave, destroying all of the monsters on the field."

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! My Blue Eyes!" Ifrit fell to the ground, crying.

Caleb was more furious then sad. "My Gearfried ! And the Flame Ghost ! You'll pay for this !"

"Sorry, I don't carry cash," Miles joked. "Now it's my turn. I summon Falcon Knight, (1000/700) and lay one card down. My turn's over."

"I play The Cheerful Coffin!" Buster Blader said. "Now I discard three monsters from my hand, all of them Buster Bladers! Then I play Monster Reborn, Premature Burial, and Call of the Haunted on them!"  
"You can't activate a trap without setting it for one turn," Darche pointed out.

"I'm too awesome for the rules!" Buster Blader argued. "Now my three Buster Blader's attack!"

"I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force," Miles countered.

"NO!"

"My turn?" Will inquired. "I sacrifice my facedown Holy Elf (800/2000) to summon Magical Marionette! (2000/1000) Then I play Clarity of Mind, to get another. And that adds a magic counter to my Marionette, raising its attack. (2200/1000) Then I equip it with Power of Magicians! (2900/1500) Then I play Jar of Greed, and Angel's Gift, discarding two other Clarity of Minds. (3300/1500) After that, I play Raise Dead on a Blue Eyes White Dragon. (3000/2500) (3500/1500) Then I play Sealing Swords of Light. (3700/1500) Then I play Trial By Fire, sacrificing my Turner of the Dead: Kaiku (1800/700) and Royal Magical Library (0/2000) to special summon The Legendary Flame Lord! (2400/2000) (3900/1500)" Will turned to his partners. "Who should I kill?"

"Get Caleb out of the way," Draken suggested. "I want to kill Ifrit! Miles can have Buster Blader."

"Hey! He's boring!" Miles complained.

"Too bad for you," Neo replied.

"All of my monsters attack Caleb!" Will declared. Caleb was hit by three mighty attacks, and fell unconscious instantly.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: 8000

Buster Blader: 8000

"I go next!" Ifrit stated.

"It's my turn," Draken told him.

"Too bad! I draw!" He raised his hand to his Duel Disk, and pulled it away with a cry of shock. "I have no cards in my deck!"

Rue nearly died laughing.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: Decked out

Buster Blader: 8000

"Well, I'll take my turn now. Sacrifice Kaiser Seahorse to summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon. Then I play Raise Dead on another one of Ifrit's Blue Eyes! (3000/2500) Now both of them attack Buster Blader!"

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: Decked out

Buster Blader: 2000

"My turn now!" Miles announced. "I equip my Falcon Knight with three Demon Axes, Power of Teamwork, and Power of Magicians. (11300/7200) Falcon Knight attacks Buster Blader twice!"

Buster Blade collapsed under the blows.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: Decked out

Buster Blader: -20600

"What a bunch of losers," Draken commented.

"I'll beat you yet!" Ifrit declared.

Then another person came running, who Rue and Will recognized as Ifrit's brother.

"YOU STUPID LITTLE JERK! I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE, AND I'LL TELL YOU AGAIN: LEARN. THE. RULES!"

"But brother…" Ifrit whined.

"Shut up! You're grounded for a month! So are your pals. Now follow me!"

Whimpering, Ifrit grabbed Caleb while his brother snatched up Buster Blader. Then they ran off.

The night rang with the companion's laughter.

*****

Olympion was disgusted with himself.

He was looking at a sign that said, "Welcome to Atlanta!" Somehow, he figured that Max wouldn't be in Georgia.

He did see an airport though. With a sigh of depression, he walked over to it to continue the long search.

To be continued…


	11. World’s Wanted

I'm glad everyone enjoyed the funny chapter. ^_^

LunaticChaos: Aw, how could Miles do that? _ 

Whispering Hope: o_O;;; Aren't you a little… obsessed? _

***Chapter 11: World's Wanted***

Hope glanced around at her prison cell yet again, but saw nothing new. Just the same stone walls, and the iron bars in the front. They were extremely well crafted, and Hope knew she stood no chance in getting through them. And even if there was a way, the manacle around her leg would stop her from getting too far.

_I don't understand… why arrest me? That official said it was due to massacre and… destruction of safeguards? But I didn't do anything like that. Sure, some Generals of Hell died by me defeating them in duels, but it certainly wasn't massacre! Besides, I doubt they would know about that anyway. I guess I have no choice but to wait, and hope that someone will tell me what is going on later…_

What worried her the most was that Gaston would probably go crazy trying to find her, and the others would be concerned as well. Without any way to get a message to them, they would have no idea what had happened to her. The fact that they were in Teknisk Wereld, while she was in the outskirts of Springfield in Illinois, did not help the situation. The only good thing was that Claire would probably begin to get worried, and inform her friends that she had never come home.

She heard the door on the left creak open, and soon an official walked in front of her cell. It was a woman with long, black hair and green eyes that glittered with  a wicked sparkle. She wore the same black suit all officials wore, minus the tie, and a crisp, white shirt underneath. Her pants were black as well, and her black shoes had a nice shine to them. Hope would have guessed she was on the same rank as the other officials she saw, but a closer look at the gold badge she wore proved her wrong. It said, 'Top Employee'.

"You are Hope Gales, correct?" Her voice was chilling.

"Yes. Why have I been arrested?"

"We have evidence that you were part of the group dubbed Generals of Hell, who slaughtered hundreds, by lowering the safeguards around Teknisk Wereld. You are one of the ones that we have pinpointed, and soon the others shall be caught as well."

"I'm not part of the Generals of Hell!" Hope protested.

"You sound like you know of them, yet nobody is supposed to have any knowledge on them," the woman pointed out.

Hope mentally kicked herself for allowing herself to be fooled so easily. "That's because I faced some of them in duels! I would never have joined them!"

"All evidence speaks against that. We have confiscated a General's cloak and orb of fire nearby the lake. They are covered with your fingerprints, so we have discovered from records."

_That's right! I used those to enter the lake, and left them at the lake shore! I always wondered what happened to them, but didn't think much of it until now. But I can't tell her why I really had them… who would believe me?_

"After dueling a General, he vanished. I checked his cloak and orb to see if they had any trace of how it had happened. It should still have his fingerprints…"

"I am afraid not. Yours are the only ones we found. Besides that, we also have a witness that states that he saw you kill his friend, only missing him because he hid."

"That can't be true!" Hope disagreed. "Whoever said that must have either seen someone else, or is just flat-out lying!"

"A possibility, but not a likely one. All facts point against you, and for that, I'm afraid you stand little chance of leaving anytime soon." The woman thought for a minute. "Unless you told us where some of the other Generals of Hell could be located. I think you should know some of them, such as Rue and Claire Klaus, Max and Brandi Driger, and Will Brown."

_How does she know all of this?! _Hope thought, shocked. __

"They are just friends of mine! None of them were Generals of Hell!"

"Words cannot change fact. Where are they?"

"Even if I knew, why would I tell you?!" Hope demanded.

"As to be expected…" The woman walked out, calling back, "It matters not. We will find them soon enough." Then the door slammed shut.

Hope looked at the ceiling, worrying all the more.

The woman walked down the passage with a smirk. _Everything is going according to plan… soon, those others will be in our grasp._

*****

Hope's mom hung up the phone with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Claire asked.

"That was an official from Teknisk Wereld, saying that Hope came with them for some questioning. I wish she would have told me earlier, but I guess that can't be helped. At least I now know where she is."

_Still, something doesn't seem right, _Claire pondered. _I thought Hope said she was only going to get more supplies? Why would she go for questioning when she knows the others are waiting?_

A cry of pain came from upstairs. Claire immediately ran towards the steps.

_Time to wonder about that later… Max still needs help._

*****

Rue finally got up, managing to get his laughter under control at last.

"I can't tell what's funnier; the first time we dueled them, or this time," Neo commented.

"It was indeed hilarious," Larka said. "But shouldn't we keep searching for Hope now?"

"I agree," Gaston seconded.

They walked around the mountain, still looking, when Rue suddenly pointed to a cave in the side of the mountain.

"I recognize that place… it's where Zenith took Hope before," he told Will.

"Now that you mention it… should we look?"

"Why not?"

They told the others, and were soon entering. With Brandi's Dark Piercing Light to guide them, they made it all the way to the back cave area, only to find nothing.

"Rats," Mana said. "Looks like this was pointless."

"Oh well," Miles shrugged. "Let's just go back."

Before anyone else could say anything, Fell spun around to the doorway.

"People are coming this way. Many of them."

That was when about ten officials ran in, each one carrying a gun, which they pointed at the others.

Miles had a card already in his Duel Disk, while everyone else braced themselves.

A man came out of the tunnel then. He wore the same official suit, with short, cropped black hair, and a neat mustache. His brown eyes seemed to be calculating the situation. He looked very dignified overall.

At his side was a green turtle, with a silver, metal shell. The shell was pointed upwards, somewhat like a small pyramid. It had several yellow circles of light around the base of the shell.

"I trust this is all of them?" the man asked one of the other officials.

"Yes sir!"

The dignified man turned to the group. "You are all under arrest. Relinquish all of your cards and weapons immediately, or we will be forced to shoot."

Miles flipped over the card he had put down. "Just try to do it when the earth itself is against you! I activate Gravity Bind!"

Everyone in the room collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

"YOU IDIOT!" Brandi snarled at him. "Gravity Bind affects us too!"

"I just realized that…"

"And I thought Rue was stupid," Will commented.

"HEY! You're lucky I can't move!" Rue yelled at his insulter.

The other men had suffered the same fate, and were unable to shoot now.

"Alright… I can see force will not work here," the man said, struggling to rise but failing. "Fine… we'll settle this in a duel. Just get rid of that Gravity Bind!"

"If I could, I would!" Miles groaned. "I can't even move my hand well!" He barely managed to reach his deck, and grabbed a card, slamming it down with a gasp of pain. "Cyclone!"

They were now not being driven into the ground, and got up. As soon as they did, Gen whacked Miles over the head.

"OW! What was that for?"

"That's for disregarding my warning about Gravity Bind."

"Well… so sue me!"

"I'll be sure to when we get back to the real world."

"Can it you two," Rue said. "We're not out of the danger zone yet."

The man had stepped forward, and was preparing his Duel Disk. "My name is Carlo, and my Soul Monster is a UFO Turtle, called Blake. Who will be dueling me?"

"Hold on one second!" Will protested.

"It's been a second," Miles pointed out.

"Very funny," Will snapped. "Anyway, what did you mean, we are under arrest? What's with that?"

"All of you are to be arrested for massacre and destruction of safeguards."

"What the hell? Since when did we do anything like that?" Draken asked.

"For being former Generals of Hell, we are to take you into custody, and…"

"Hold the phone!" Neo interrupted. "Are you saying WE are Generals of Hell?"

"Yes."

"But we dueled them!" Mana protested. "They tried to kill us!"

"We have concrete proof that you are the criminals, as you will soon be shown. Already we have caught one of your number, Hope Gales. As we cannot find you in the real world, we were forced to come here to find you."

"What?! You arrested Hope?!" Larka said in disbelief.

"Correct. Like I said, we have evidence…"

"Screw that!" Rue snarled. "None of us have ever been with them! Hope is one of the last people who would ever join those religious freaks!"

"It does not matter what you say, for you cannot convince us that easily. Now, which one of you will face me?"

"I will!" Rue growled. "What are the conditions?"

"If I win, all of you are to surrender all of your possessions, including decks, and then will be arrested. A trial will occur, and most likely an execution afterwards. If I lose, the men in my group, and I, will die. Sound fair?"

Rue eyed him suspiciously. "I guess…"

"Then let us begin. You may go first."

Rue: 8000

Carlo: 8000

"Alright. I lay one monster in defense mode, and end."

"I will summon Critter. (1000/600) Then I lay one card down. It is your turn."

_It's like he wants me to attack, but why? _Rue wondered. _A trap probably… but I'll risk it anyway._

"I summon Gemini Elf! (1900/900) They attack Critter!"

"Very well. I search my deck for a monster with less than 1500 attack."

Rue: 8000

Carlo: 7100

"I also use Blake's Deck Master ability. By having one of my monsters with less than 1500 attack killed in battle, I can search my deck for a Fire Main-Type monster with less than 1500 attack, and special summon it to the field in attack mode. I choose Fleeing People. (600/600)"

"Fleeing… People? Does it have an effect?" Rue asked.

"No, it does not."

"Then what the hell is it good for?"

"You'll see…"

"I'm sure. I lay one card down, and end."

"I summon Oppressed People. (400/2000) Then I lay two more cards down."

"What's with these things?" Rue muttered. "I play Skilled Black Magician. (1900/1700) He attacks Oppressed People!"

"I activate Attack Nullification."

"Then I'm done."

"Now I summon Dragonfly. (1400/900) Then lay one more card down."

"I have no idea of what you are trying to do," Rue said. 

"Oh, it will all become clear soon enough."

"I'm sure… Gemini Elf attacks Dragonfly!"

Rue: 8000

Carlo: 6600

"My Dragonfly, when destroyed in battle, allows me to special summon one Air Main-Type monster with less than 1500 attack from my deck in attack mode. I get United Resistance from my deck. (1000/400)"

"Skilled Black Magician attacks it!"

"I activate another Attack Nullification."

"Right… end turn, I guess."

"Now you will understand," Carlo said. "I draw, and enter my Main Phase. Now behold my trap card, Strong Revolution!"

"What does that do?"

"I can only activate this card if I have Fleeing People, Oppressed People, and United Resistance on my field. It forces you to discard all cards in your hand, and destroys everything on your field."

"Damn it!" Rue cursed. "I'm lucky that I had a Black Forest Witch down. I get to search my deck for a monster with 1500 defense or less and add it to my hand."

"It won't do you much good. Now I equip my Oppressed People with Power of Teamwork, increasing their stats by 800 for each face up monster I have. (2800/4400) Now all of my monsters attack directly, then I end."

Rue: 3600

Carlo: 6600

"This will be tough… I draw…"

"And I activate Lost Property! You are forced to discard the card you drew."

Rue looked at it, and began to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You forced me to discard Killer Snake!"

"Damn you!"

"I get it back on my standby phase! Now I summon Magic Warrior-Breaker! (1900/1000) He attacks your United Resistance!"

Rue: 3600

Carlo: 5700

"That's not good enough! I summon Grizzly Mother! (1400/1000) Oppressed People attacks Breaker, and my others attack directly!"

Rue: 700

Carlo: 5700

"I need a miracle here," Rue muttered, drawing. "Bingo! I activate Black Hole!"

"Argh!"

"Now I lay this monster in defense, and end."

Carlo looked at his next card. "That has to be your Killer Snake… if only I had drawn a stronger monster! I play Dragonfly, (1400/900) and attack."

"Yep, that's Killer Snake. (300/250) Now I draw, getting back Killer Snake…" Rue shuffled around the cards in his hand quickly. "And I set this monster. Your turn."

"I hate gambling," Carlo stated. "I summon Fleeing People, (600/600) and attack with Dragonfly."

"Just my Killer Snake."

"Darn it! Attack with Fleeing People, and end."

Rue: 100

Carlo: 5700

"I will first use Jar of Greed!" Rue looked at his hand, and burst out laughing. "I play Black Magic Curtain, to special summon Black Magician!"

Rue: 50

Carlo: 5700

"Then I play another Black Magic Curtain, to special summon another one!"

"What the hell?!"

Rue: 25

Carlo: 5700

"Now I lay one card down, and attack Fleeing People and Dragonfly!"

Rue: 25

Carlo: 2700

"I special summon United Resistance. (1000/400) Now I draw, and equip them with Demon Axe! (2000/400) Then I add Power of Magicians, raising their attack by 500 for each magic and trap I have!"

"I'm not letting you get away with that!" Rue announced. "I discard Killer Snake to activate Ruecian's Deck Master ability, negating and destroying your magic card."

"DAMN IT!" 

"Both of my Black Magicians attack!"

Rue: 25

Carlo: 0

"No!" he cried, stumbling back. "I lost?!"

Suddenly, a flurry of arrows whistled through the air, cutting through all ten men and Carlo. Even Blake's steel shell couldn't protect him from death.

"That's brutal," Neo winced.

"It's like his people revolted on him," Will said, picking up one card than hadn't been shot. It was United Resistance. "Just a theory."

"What does it matter?" Gaston asked. "The most important thing is what we are going to do now, with Hope captured."

"Indeed," Zack said. "We're going to have to think hard on this one."

To be continued…


	12. Into the Prison

Wow. This got a lot longer than I meant it to be. Oh well. ^_^;;;

LunaticChaos: Glad you like the plot. And whoa, that's an impressive amount. o_o; 

Whispering Hope: o_o;;; Geez… well, I'm glad to have such a loyal fan. _;

John: You mean a deck destruction? Possibly. I do need other ideas, thanks for giving me that one. And a soap? _ Maybe a little…

***Chapter 12: Into the Prison***

The companions had left the cave, leaving the dead where they lay. When they got outside, Rue set his Dark Piercing Light on the ground. Everyone gathered around the welcoming light.

"Not as good as a campfire, but we aren't staying long anyway," Rue pointed out. "We need to discuss what our next plan of action is. Any ideas?"

"We'll have to save Hope first," Gaston said.

"As much as I agree with you, how can we?" Larka asked. "We have no idea where she is being held. We don't even know which world she is in. She could have been forced into Teknisk Wereld, for all we are aware of."

"That means we're stuck," Draken stated.

"We can't give up that easily!" Mana protested.

That was when Will had an idea. "She went back to get help for Max, right? Maybe Claire would know something."

"Good point," Rue replied. "For once, you said something I can agree with. Everyone ok with that?"

"This will require going to the real world?" Gen inquired.

"Yep. My sister is there to help Max."

"Then how will we get there?" Miles asked. "Gen, Draken, Darche, Zack, and I don't even know where you guys are hanging out."

"True." Will thought for a minute, and then took a sheet of paper from his pocket, tearing it up into three pieces. He wrote Hope's address on each one, and gave it to them. "That should do it. You all in close range?"

"I'll be quick," Draken assured. "I live in Illinois myself. I was assigned to be there when I was with the Generals of Hell, in case Zenith needed back up."

"I'll catch a plane," Miles decided.

"My trip will be brief," Zack finished.

"Then we'll see you there by tomorrow?" Brandi inquired. 

"Sounds like a plan," Draken said.

With that being said, they teleported out.

*****

Rue, Will, Brandi, their Soul Monsters, and Gaston all found themselves in the living room again. Claire was on the couch, looking exhausted. When she saw them wake up, she lifted her head up.

"Hi guys. Where have you been?"

"Just defeating a few Commanders here and there," Rue said casually, detaching the Envoyant Machine. 

"You'll explain it in more detail later, right?" she asked as Larka and Fell entered the room.

"Of course," he assured. "But Claire, we have to ask you something urgent."

"What is it?"

"What happened to Hope? Did she leave the house?"

"Yeah, she did. I was concerned at first, because she said she would be right back. Then her mom got a phone call from an official. He said that she had agreed to answer some questions for him."

"What a liar!" Gaston snarled.

"He pretty much summed it up," Will said. "She was actually arrested."

"What?! You'd best tell me everything."

They told her of all that had happened since she had left.

"So somehow the Commanders are getting the officials to help them? Sneaky," Claire said when they were done.

"Indeed. By the way, those other guys will be here tomorrow," Rue told her. "So be ready for them. Oh, and don't tell Hope's mom. She doesn't need any more worrying right now."

"Of course."

"How is Max?" Brandi asked.

"He's doing a little better. I've been looking over him almost all day. He's out of the danger zone, but that doesn't mean he's in any shape to be moving around yet. But at least he will live."

"Thanks for helping."

"No problem at all." Claire stifled a yawn. "Well, back to work. You guys should get some rest, but maybe eat first. Oh, Neo, Hope's mom wanted me to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"She forbids you to enter her kitchen."

"Aw man!"

*****

The next morning, everyone was awakened by a scream, and a sound that was like a gong.

"What the hell was that?" Rue yelped, jumping off the couch he was lying on.

Larka, Fell, and Claire were down in a flash.

"Who's attacking?" Larka asked franticly.

"No idea, let's get to the door!" Gaston exclaimed, running towards there.

An odd sight greeted them. Zack was lying on the ground, having thrown himself down to dodge a pan swung by Hope's mother. The pan had smashed into the side of the house, hence the loud noise. The vibrations had been extremely strong, and she had thrown the pan over her shoulder a little too forcefully. It smashed into Neo's head, instantly knocking him out, and adding yet another dent to the cooking utensil.

"And here we have the definition of 'chaos'," Will said dryly.

"Um, Mrs. Gales? He's a friend of ours," Rue told her cautiously, afraid of getting smacked by something else around the house.

"Oh, really? I'm sorry!" she apologized to Zack, who rose carefully. "I just panicked when I saw you…"

"I get it all the time," Zack reassured, entering the house, closing the door behind him. "Not many people know about cyborgs."

"A cyborg? What other kinds of friends is Hope going to pick up?" Hope's mother sighed. "She had better not have said that you can stay here."

"Well, actually, he and two people and two Soul Monsters are still coming to stay…" Rue trailed off, and ran away as a rolling pin hit the wall where he had been before.

"I can't stand this!"

"Don't worry," Brandi told her. "Most of us will be gone shortly. So we'll be no hassle. Please try to relax."

"Are the others at least normal?"

"They're human," Gaston reassured, deciding not to mention that one had nearly killed them all once, and that the other could possibly take everything that wasn't nailed down.

"Well, that's something," Mrs. Gales sighed. She went over to retrieve her pan, and set it down again with a frown. "But you should have warned me! Now one of my best pans is completely ruined."

"Don't worry," Will replied. "Rue will pay for a new one."

"SAY WHAT?!"

"That's a really nice thing to do! Thank you for being so considerate!" Then Mrs. Gales entered the kitchen.

Will was forced to leap out of the open window to avoid Rue, who was trying to kill him with the damaged pan and discarded rolling pin.

After some time, Claire managed to restrain her brother long enough to let Will enter the house. It was only when she threatened to tie and gag him that he relented, grumbling unpleasant things about Will. Gaston was unable to rouse Neo gently, so he was forced to drag him outside and throw a bucket of ice-cold water on him. Although Gaston was nearly chopped in half by the angry swordsman, it did successfully wake him up.

About an hour later, the doorbell rang again. This time Larka got it, and let Draken in.

"We thought you would be here first," Rue greeted him.

"Traffic sucks," he said. "Cars kept blocking me when I was trying to cross streets. A stop light also blew up, so I had to take a detour."

"A stop light blew up?" Mana looked at him. "Details. NOW."

"From what I gathered, a policeman tried to shoot a criminal, but hit the stop light accidentally. But enough on that. Is Miles here yet?"

"He should be soon," Perseus nodded. "Any minute now."

Larka looked up at the ceiling. "That's odd. I thought I heard something."

"Probably just the wind, or something," Mana said. "Are you SURE there are no more details about the stop light?"

They talked for a few more minutes, when Claire stood.

"I'm going to check on Max. I'll be right back."

"I'll come too," Draken volunteered.

"Sure, come on up."

The others chose to stay downstairs. A few seconds later, a loud crash sounded, followed by two shouts of shock and pain.

"Now what?" Brandi muttered.

They went into the living room to see a bewildered Miles and a stunned Draken. Claire was laughing helplessly.

Rue looked up and saw that there was a hole in the ceiling.

"I am NOT paying for that," he told Will.

"Darn it. I guess you won't fall for the same thing twice. No pun intended," he informed Miles, who was rising slowly.

"Very funny… ow! That was not a pleasant way to enter."

Draken was tenderly pressing his body parts. "Nothing broken, or so it seems."

"Now maybe you would care to explain WHY you came in by flying through the roof?" Will asked.

"I ran into some random thug. Here's some advice: don't make fun of someone with a gun. I ran for my life, and jumped up on the roof to hide, Gen with me. He should still be up there, as a matter of fact. When the thug was gone, I attempted to get back down, only to step on a weak area of the roof."

"And you got on the roof… how?" Brandi inquired.

"The house next door had a ladder out. I climbed it, got on their roof, and jumped onto this roof. The other guy eventually left, I tried to climb down, only to collapse here."

"Very clever," Rue said sarcastically. "How are you going to fix the roof?"

"I'll get back to you on that one." Miles looked up at the hole, and shouted, "Hey Gen! You up there still?"

No response came.

"I guess he found a way down," Miles decided.

A polite knock came from the door. Claire opened it, and Gen stepped in.

"I see you found the quick way in," he told Miles.

"Quick and painful, unfortunately. I nearly killed Draken. Ah well. So, when are we going to leave this place?"

"It's only two," Will stated, looking at the clock. "We have plenty of time to search, but we have no idea where to start."

"It's too bad these are the officials," Gaston sighed. "If they had been the Commanders, maybe Miles would have some idea."

"No chance," Miles disagreed. "I didn't know that much about them in the first place."

"Wait…" Zack paused.

"What's the matter?" Mana asked.

"I think… I might know where they are."

"How?" Brandi inquired.

"I mentioned that I was simply hired by the Commanders of Heaven. Well, I have been hired by the officials before as well. I was to kill a rebel. Unfortunately, after I completed the mission, they deleted the location from my memory."

"So there's no way for you to remember?" Larka inferred.

"I never said that. It is possible, but I will have to go through… 'back up files'. In other words, a place in my mind that all deleted articles are stored."

"But if they are technically deleted, shouldn't it be impossible to get those memories back?" Perseus pointed out.

"The officials were careless, because they assumed I would never be returning there unless they asked me to do something else. And in truth, they were right-until now. Anyway, they didn't use the most high-tech equipment. Give me some time, and I should be able to extract the location."

"In the meantime, we should prepare," Will decided. "Miles, you had best explain the roof to Hope's mom."

"Nuts."

"Oh, a quiet location would be preferred," Zack mentioned.

"Go to the guest room," Larka suggested. "We won't enter until you are ready."

"Thanks." He went upstairs, Miles going there as well to talk to Mrs. Gales in her room.

A few minutes later, and a crash sounded. Miles ran down the steps, tripping over the last three.

Gen examined him. "A shard of glass. It looks like Hope's mother broke a vase over his head."

"The pretty birdies…" Miles mumbled.

"He'll be fine shortly," Gen assured the others, who were eying him doubtfully. 

"I'm sure," Perseus replied.

*****

A little less than an hour had passed. Miles had recovered, and they were ready to go. The problem was that Zack was still gone.

"I wonder what's taking him so long?" Mana complained. They were in the family room.

"It's better that we get the location correct the first time," Will informed her. 

"True, but it's still annoying to have to wait!"

"It shouldn't take too much longer… hopefully," Claire said. She had decided not to come, because Max still needed treatment. 

It was about that time that they heard the door upstairs open. Zack came downstairs, looking very weary.

"Are you alright?" Larka asked.

"I should be… it's just tiring to recall deleted things," he explained. "The location of their headquarters is in the capital of Illinois- Springfield. Coincidentally, the prison is in the same building, just on a lower floor. Once we enter Springfield, I should be able to find the building again."

"Springfield? Just great," Draken groaned. "That's four hours away!"

"It's not like we can do anything about that," Will pointed out. "The best thing we can do is catch a bus there, or something."

"We're in luck," Claire told them. The minute Zack had told them the location, she had been looking on the internet at bus schedules. "The next bus leaves in ten minutes. If you hurry, you can make it."

"How are we going to explain Zack?" Gaston wondered. "Hope's mother completely panicked, after all."

"She saw the switch blade from my arm," Zack said. "A mistake on my part. Normally, nobody can tell the difference between a real human and me, unless they are trying to."

"Then we'd best get moving," Miles advised as they got up. "We'll be back eventually."

"Good luck!" Claire called as they left.

*****

Although they had been held up by Neo almost getting bitten by a stray dog, they managed to make it to the bus just in time. The back was empty, and once all of the Soul Monsters besides Gaston entered their Soul Cards, they managed to fit in.

"I need to recharge," Zack stated. "That memory scan took more out of me then I thought it would."

"Go ahead; it's going to be a long trip," Gaston informed him.

Zack pressed something on his arm, and was out instantly. Will had gotten out Lord Brocktree, and was soon completely absorbed in the book. Rue was playing Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on a blue Gameboy SP. Miles was listening to a CD player; nobody asked him how he acquired it. Draken seemed to be thinking about something. Brandi was checking her deck again. Larka was trying to memorize some of her cards that she didn't know as well. Fell just looked as bored as ever. Gaston was looking out of the window, seemingly impatient.

"So what will we do when we get there?" Draken asked Rue.

"Come on, come on… damn it!" The Game Over screen flashed at him. "Stupid Twen! I'm going to slaughter him someday! Well, just sneak in, get Hope out, then run away, I guess. We can't really decide anything else until we get there."

"That's a good point."

*****

The bus pulled to a halt at long last. The sky outside was already turning black. The other passengers left first.

"How do we wake him up?" Draken wondered, looking at the unconscious Zack.

"Should I get the ice water out again?" Gaston joked.

"Totally unnecessary," Zack told him, opening his eyes. "I can program into myself when to revive."

"That's handy," Miles commented. "Well, let's get moving."

They stepped outside, and the bus drove away to its next stop.

"Do you recognize this area?" Larka asked.

"Yes. I can remember the way easily enough."

The Soul Monsters emerged, and they set off. They had to make several turns down alleys, which Zack explained was for privacy on the official's part.

"Well, this is it," he finally said. They were in an alley to the side of the building.

They looked at the building in front of them. It was a tall, sleek, black building. There were no windows at all, and only one door. At the front of the door were two men.

"Guards," Rue muttered. "Figures. How are we going to deal with them before they set off some alarm or another?"

"The night could help," Miles said. "Let's do a sneak attack!"

"As if we can get them before they set off an alarm," Draken reminded him.

"Got any better ideas?"

"Well… no."

"That's what I thought."

Fell had been at the back of the group, just watching them talk. Now he walked to the front.

"Fell? What are you doing?" Larka asked.

In response, he jumped out of the alley, running towards the guards.

The night helped, for his black form blended perfectly with it. But it was because of how fast and silent he was that he managed to take out both of the guards. Moving so fast that he was just a blur, he zipped in front of the first guard, slicing his throat open with his nearly-clawed hand. The other guard only had time to utter, "What?!" before he was cut across the chest, and collapsed.

Fell calmly wiped the blood from his hands onto the dead guard's shirt, and then entered the building.

"What the hell was THAT?!" Rue demanded. "The only person who I have been able to see move faster than that is Brandi, and she tore her leg muscles doing it! How can he do that?"

"He can go faster than that," Larka informed him.

"Yeah, that's nice, but… SAY WHAT?!"

"He's going to leave us behind if we don't hurry," she pointed out, running after her brother.

"But…"

"Let's ask later," Will suggested. "I doubt they will tell until they are ready. And we are only wasting precious time."

"Ugh… you're probably right… wait, I agreed with you again? What is the world coming to?"

They entered the building swiftly.

"Where should we go?" Mana whispered.

"Down," Zack answered. "Or so I believe. The offices only get more important as you go up."

"I bet you're right," Miles replied. "Think about it. All the cold, damp, dark dungeons just HAVE to be the lowest floor in the evil headquarters, don't they?"

"That is typical…" Neo agreed.

"Whatever, let's just get down there!" Rue ordered.

They went down the hall, and soon came to a fork.

"Left or right?" Gen wondered.

"Left," Zack responded. "I remember that much."

They went down, and were soon at an elevator.

"We'll have to take two trips," Gaston figured. "How about we Soul Monsters go first, to make sure there isn't anyone waiting?"

"Go ahead. We'll be down right after you," Draken assured.

They entered the elevator, and it closed behind them. In a few minutes, it was back up. The rest entered.

"Here we go…" Larka pressed the button that said, 'Lower Floor.' "This should be what we need."

The good news was that the elevator was silent. It quietly moved down, to the deeper area of the building.

The elevator soon halted. They stepped out, and saw someone running towards them.

"Mana? What's the matter?" Brandi asked.

"Go back!" she cried. "It's an ambush!"

"Say what?!" Rue yelped.

"There's some kind of electric force field!" she hastily explained. "I was the last to try to enter, but they pulled up the force field too quickly. I was thrown back. The others are trapped there!"

"How many opponents?" Will inquired.

"Twenty at least! Normally, there wouldn't be any problem, but like I said, it was an ambush. Neo was nearly shot, and Gen barely managed to save Darche from a fatal hit. If Gaston hadn't had that crazy helmet of his on, he would have died from a bullet to the head!"

Rue swore. "A force field? How are we supposed to get by that?"

"Still, we have to try. Lead the way!" Larka told Mana.

"Right!"

They soon encountered the battlefield. Gen was laying on the ground, unable to move. His right arm was bleeding fiercely. Darche stood in front of him, managing to block several bullets that came at him with his sword. Neo was forced to concentrate on dodging the frequent fire, and could not get close enough to attack. Ruecian was busy keeping a barrier around himself and Gaston, who was unable to advance either.

"Damn it!" Rue snarled. "We have no way of advancing beyond here."

"Mana! Can you break it down?" Brandi asked.

"I tried that already, but it didn't work!"

"Get out of here!" Darche shouted, ducking another bullet. "If you leave quickly enough, maybe you can get away!"

"And leave you here? No way!" Draken argued.

"Please stand aside for a minute," Zack requested.

Puzzled, the others stepped away from the force field as he stepped up. He looked at his left hand for a minute, and then thrust it into the force field.

Electricity flew everywhere, but it was going to one main source: Zack. He was absorbing the currents into his own body. Blue energy coursed through him as he gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. It was not difficult to take small energy amounts, but he had never attempted this much before.

"I can't… hold it back… get out of the way!" he shouted, holding out his palm.

The Soul Monsters dived to the sides of the room as a huge wave of blue electricity rushed out of his hand. It consumed all of the officials instantly. From somewhere in the room, an explosion occurred as something else was hit.

The others had covered their eyes to avoid the bright light. As it cleared, they chanced a glance.

It was not a pretty sight. The officials' bodies were charred, and if they hadn't seen them before, they would not have guessed that they had once been humans. Another object lay on the floor, a small, broken one. The Soul Monsters had managed to get out of the direct path, but if it hadn't been for Ruecian's barrier, they would have still suffered from the attack as well.

"…Wow," Larka whispered.

"Are you ok?" Draken asked Zack.

"I… should be," he said. "I just need… to relax, that's all." Zack was shaking slightly, but he did not seem hurt otherwise.

"So you can absorb electricity as well… amazing," Draken commented.

"But it is difficult," he informed them. "I've never tried that much before…"

"But how did they know we were coming?" Brandi pondered. 

"That would explain," Will replied, pointing at the broken object. "A security camera. We were too careless."

Miles had run over to examine Gen. "Hey, are you ok?"

"I will be…" Gen sat up, wincing. "Who would have thought one small piece of metal could do this much harm?"

Miles removed the bandana around his neck and tied it around Gen's arm. "That won't help too much, but it might assist a bit. We'll have Claire look over it later."

"Yeah, I can go on until then… thanks…"

The others had gone to make sure their companions were unharmed, but Larka froze. She had noticed something when Miles removed his bandana.

"Miles… your neck…"

"Hm?" He ran his fingers over a long, jagged scar on it. "Oh, this… yeah, that's why I wear that bandana. It keeps this thing hidden."

"How did it happen?" Neo inquired.

"I… don't want to discuss that." Miles shook his head. "Sorry… but I can't…"

"I shouldn't have asked. Sorry."

"No, it's fine… let's just go on."

"Those cameras are going to be tricky though," Gaston pointed out as they stood up. "This is probably the only area that we are safe in."

"Then we'll just have to hurry!" Mana exclaimed.

"So what are we waiting for?" Neo asked, standing up. "Let's get moving!"

"Are you sure you want to come?" Darche asked Gen.

"If I stay back here, and I'm attacked, I stand no chance," the thief pointed out.

"Hm… that is true. Then let us move on!"

*****

The woman picked up her ringing cell phone.

"What is it?"

"Intruders!" her caller shouted. "They managed to break through!"

"Why didn't you stop them?"

"I assigned a group to stop them at the force field, but they broke through somehow! I don't know how, but one of them sent a huge wave of electricity, killing them all and destroying the security camera!"

"Hm…" the woman sighed. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this… send one of your duelists to guard the passage to the prison cells. Have the condition of losing be death. Make sure he can hold them off for quite a while-time is what I need."

"I have the perfect guy for the job."

"Excellent. Send him down."

*****

"Haven't these guys ever heard of decoration?" Miles complained. "I'm sick of seeing the same stone walls!"

They had been walking down the hall, which had not changed at all in means of looks. On the plus side, there were no other unpleasant surprises waiting for them.

"I think I see something up ahead," Larka said. "Let's go cautiously."

As they got closer, they saw a man standing there. He wore an official's suit, which was typical anyway. His short hair was blonde, and his eyes were brown. 

There was a Soul Monster with him. It was a green kangaroo, which wore a purple vest, big red shoes, and red punching gloves.

"So you are the intruders," the man inferred.

"Yep, that's us!" Miles agreed. "Who are you?"

"I'm Todd, and that's Jack, a Death Kangaroo."

"Conspiracy," Mana muttered. "I hated the movie Kangaroo Jack."

"I'm guessing we can't just slay you and move on?" Neo asked.

"No, you can't. There is an invisible force field around me. Until you win, it will not be lowered. The loser of the duel will…"

"Let me guess; the loser will die," Miles finished.

"Correct."

"We've done it so many times that it doesn't surprise us any more," Neo explained to him.

"Ah, I see. So who will be the one to face me?"

"I haven't had a serious duel in a while," Will stated, stepping forward. "So I'll be your opponent."

"Then let's begin!"

Will: 8000

Todd: 8000

"If you don't mind, I shall make the first move," Todd announced. "I set one monster, and lay another card down."

"It's my turn. I summon Magic Warrior-Breaker. By removing his magic counter, I destroy your face down card. (1600/1000)"

"That was my Magic Cylinder."

"Now Breaker attacks!"

"You have run into my Big Shield Guarder. (100/2600) When attacked, he is switched to attack mode. But since I can just switch him next turn, I'm not very concerned with that small fact. Oh, you also triggered Jack's ability. If you attack one of my monsters and it has a higher defense than your attack, your monster is destroyed."

Will: 7000

Todd: 8000

"Well, I have nothing else to do."

"I think you will find this attack a hard one to cope with. I summon Battle Footballer. (1000/2100)"

"In attack mode?" Will said disbelievingly.

"Of course. Why else would I play this? I activate a magic card-Shield in the Right Hand, Sword in the Left Hand. This switches all of our monster's attack and defense strengths for one turn. (2600/100) (2100/1000) Now my Big Shield Guarder, and Battle Footballer attack you."

Will: 2300

Todd: 8000

"I end my turn by laying one card down. (100/2600) (1000/2100)"

"Hm… I summon Black Forest Witch. (1100/1200) She attacks Big Shield Guarder."

"I activate Attack Nullification."

"Darn it… two cards down."

"My turn. I activate Forced Transfer. We each select one monster on our fields, and swap them. So I select my Big Shield Guarder, and you get to keep it. Since your only monster is Black Forest Witch, she becomes mine. Now I sacrifice her to summon General of Impenetrable Defenses! (1550/2500) This monster goes to defense mode when I summon it. Now I activate another Shield in the Right Hand, Sword in the Left Hand. (2100/1000) (2500/1550) My Battle Footballer attacks directly!"

"I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force! Your monsters are destroyed!"

"Not quite. You destroyed my Battle Footballer, but since my General is in defense mode, he escapes death. Now he attacks!"

"But how?"

"He can attack at any time, even when in defense mode!"

"In that case, I activate Magic Cylinder, to save my Life Points."

Will: 2300

Todd: 5500

"Damn it… I end."

"Also, when you sacrificed my Black Forest Witch, I got to search my deck for a monster with 1500 defense or less. I get Magical Marionette! (2000/1000) Now I lay one monster in defense mode, and end."

"I lay one card down. Then I'll have my General attack your monster."

"You aren't the only one who has strong defenses. You attacked my Royal Magic Library. (0/2000)"

Will: 2300

Todd: 5050

"You done? I sacrifice my Royal Magic Library to summon Magical Marionette! (2000/1000) Now I play Cyclone, to destroy your magic or trap!"

"My Attack Nullification…"

"Now I activate Raise Dead on Breaker. (1600/1000) That gives my Magical Marionette two magic counters, which I remove to destroy your General!"

"What?!"

"Now both of my monsters attack directly!"

Will: 2300

Todd: 1450

"All I can do is lay one monster down…"

"And I activate Sealing Swords of Light, to reveal it!"

"My Air Guard Gear Golem… (800/2200)"

"The only other thing I need to do is play Clarity of Mind. This gives me two magic counters. I remove both to destroy your Air Guard Gear Golem. Now Magical Marionette attacks!"

Will: 2300

Todd: 0

The Magical Marionette whipped strings around Todd, binding him and Jack. He only had time to say one thing.

"My only purpose was to delay."

Then the wires sliced through him and his monster, severing their limbs and heads.

*****

It had been an anxious day. Hope had spent it worrying over her friends, wondering if they would be caught unawares like she had been. It wasn't like there was anything else to do. 

She suddenly heard the door open. A few seconds later, and the woman was back in front of her.

"Plans have changed," she said icily. "I need to take extra precautions."

"What?"

The woman took out a key and unlocked the door. "Don't get excited. I just need to attach something."

With amazing speed, she slammed Hope into the opposite wall. While she was stunned, the woman revealed what she was holding; an iron ring. She attached it to Hope's neck, where it instantly tightened; not enough to suffocate, but it could not be taken off easily.

She cried out as pain lashed through her body, coming from the collar around her neck.

"What… is this?!"

"Just something needed to keep you in line." The woman dropped her. "Now I must prepare." She locked the door behind her, and slammed the door.

Hope tried to stay conscious, but the next wave of agony was too much. She collapsed to the floor, unable to fight it.

To be continued…


	13. Losing Control

Two in one day! Yay! 

John: Completely your opinion. I liked the way both turned out, so I don't really have an opinion on the matter. As long as you liked both, then I'm happy.

LunaticChaos: o_O Your poor, poor opponents. _ That's a nice guess, but I never even considered a poison needle collar. And yes, Zack can do a lot of things. Unfortunately, they often have drawbacks.

***Chapter 13: Losing Control***

Hope opened her eyes slowly, and sat up, surprised that the pain was gone.

She touched the metal collar at her neck. 

"I don't understand… what is this supposed to do?" 

She ran her fingers all around it, and came to the conclusion that there was no way to detach it. It was just a solid ring with no way to remove it.

"I guess it is impossible to take off…" She thought for a minute. "It seems innocent enough now, but I get a bad feeling about this…"

*****

"That must have hurt," Neo winced, looking at the gruesome corpses.

"We don't have the time to remorse," Draken stated. "He said that he meant to delay us, so there's no time to waste."

Trying their best to ignore the two dead bodies, they ran down the hall. 

"Are we ever going to get there?" Miles complained.

"Hold up!" Rue called back. He had been at the front of the group. "Another fork. Left or right?"

"Left worked before. Let's try it again, and hope our luck remains with us," Will decided.

"You call this luck?" Mana said in disbelief. 

"Well, only one of us is hurt. That's a lucky break," he replied.

"True," Brandi agreed, going down the left path.

After a few minutes of more walking, Larka spotted what they wanted.

"A door!"

"But is it locked? Here, let me try." Gaston took hold of the handle and pulled it open easily, revealing a row of cells. "I guess not…"

"Fell and I will stay here, to make sure there isn't a sneak attack," Larka whispered. "You guys go on in.

Hope heard the door shift open again, and stood. If it was that woman again, she wasn't going to let herself be stunned again.

She was astonished to see Gaston run up to the front of her cell.

"Hope! Are you ok?!"

"Gaston? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Saving you of course."

Miles walked over. "Stand back for a minute Gaston. I might be able to pick this lock. It looks pretty old."

He took out a lock pick from the pouch at his side, and went to work. In a few seconds, it clicked open.

"Cheap thing," Miles muttered, throwing it over his shoulder. "Hang on, let me see that manacle. Looks like they were being cautious."

"Yeah, I would believe so," Hope replied as Miles went to work on the lock. "How did you find this place?"

"Zack came here before," Rue informed her. "It's a good thing too, or else we'd still be looking."

"There we go!" Miles exclaimed. The manacle fell off. "Wow, their security is good, but their locks suck."

As she stepped outside, Gaston knelt down to examine her. "Are you hurt?"

"Not now," Hope said.

"What do you mean by 'not now'?"

"Can we discuss this later?" Gen requested. "Not only am I bleeding to death, but Zack is probably still weary, and we need to get out before we are caught."

Zack tiredly nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, let's talk later," Hope decided.

They left the room, joining Larka and Fell.

"I'm glad you're ok," Larka greeted her.

"I am too," Hope joked. "Shall we leave?"

"Right away," she assured.

Their trip was made in silence, until they reached the area with Todd. Hope gasped at the sight of them.

"He tried to delay us," Neo explained.

"I see…"

Soon they had reached the area where the security had been. That's when they finally found someone else.

The woman that had visited Hope twice was there. On her shoulder was a beautiful blue bird. Even its beak and legs were blue. The only thing that wasn't blue was its eyes; they were red. The oddest thing about it was the two ears it had. They reminded Hope of a bat's ears somewhat.

"You cannot escape that easily," the woman stated.

"And who would you be?" Draken asked.

"I am called Malady. And my companion here is Streak," she announced. "I am a leader of the officials, and a high-ranking Commander of Heaven."

"What?!" Rue shouted.

"That explains," Will realized. "The Commanders took the truth and managed to twist it into a believable lie."

"Correct. It wasn't very difficult to do. In any case, you will all be on the most wanted list for quite some time."

"You think we're going to give up that easily?!" Draken demanded.

"Face facts. It might take some time, but you cannot escape the entire world."

"Right now, we aren't concerned with that!" Rue argued. "All we need to do is leave here first. I doubt you can stop us all!"

"True, I cannot. But I have someone who can." She took out a small remote from her pocket. "Just watch." 

Miles paled. "Don't let her activate it!"

Rue immediately ran towards her, but it was too late. She had already pressed a button on it.

Rue had kept his eyes on Malady, not expecting an attack from the back. Hope grabbed him around the neck, and smashed him into the wall. Taken completely by surprise by the aggressive move, Rue was unable to escape the stranglehold Hope had on him.

"Hope! What are you doing?!" Gaston cried, approaching much more cautiously.

In response, Hope threw Rue at Gaston. They collided, both collapsing.

She then jumped back, in front of Malady, glaring fiercely at them.

"You don't understand?" Malady smirked. "Look at her neck."

Everyone's eyes went to the metal collar.

"This device allows me to control all of your friend's movements. Even her eyes can be controlled with this little device. The only thing untouched is her thoughts, so do not think that she wants to do this. It makes it so much more fun to toy with people's emotions as well, after all."

"That bitch…" Rue groaned, rising slowly.

"Don't even bother trying to get by her. This collar also strengthens her. Since I control the muscles, I can make her do anything, even if it is beyond her capability."

"And we don't want to harm her anyway… damn it. It's like a lock almost," Draken muttered.

"For you, anyway. But remember, she can still attack you!"

Hope leapt at Rue again, but was knocked backwards as Ruecian brought up a magical barrier. With a small growl, she tried again, only to be repelled again.

"It doesn't matter how many times you try to assault us!" Rue told Malady. "Ruecian can hold up this barrier as long as necessary!"

"Fine. Then I suppose a duel is in order." Malady tossed a spare Duel Disk to Hope, who caught it easily and fixed it onto her arm. "Since this girl didn't bring her Duel Disk or deck, she'll have to use spare ones. Now, who will duel her?"

"…I will," Brandi announced. "I haven't been able to do much to help lately… I'll be the one to duel."

"Very well. If you lose, all of you are to be taken into custody. If you win, then all of you will be able to pass by this girl."

"That's totally unfair!" Miles protested. "If you lose, then she should be let go!"

"But I am not the one losing. She is the one dueling, so she must suffer the consequences of losing."

"Damn it… how am I going to do this?" Brandi muttered as she activated her Duel Disk.

"It's a lose-lose situation!" Mana said.

"I know… but if we win, maybe we can find a loop hole somehow."

Nobody noticed Streak fly away.

Hope: 8000

Brandi: 8000

"I'll go first!" Brandi declared. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

The look Hope was giving Brandi was one of hatred. Yet something seemed to break through for a second… a plea for help…

"Summon Iron Knight: Gear Freed. (1800/1600)" Her tone was flat and emotionless. "Lay two cards down. Gear Freed attacks."

"You won't be able to destroy my Soul Hunting Spirit like that! (300/200) He is unable to be destroyed by means of battle."

"End turn."

"Hm… I sacrifice my Spirit to summon Blowback Dragon! (2300/1200)"

"Activate trap card, Chained Dynamite. Equip to Gear Freed, to give 500 more attack. Gear Freed destroys it, due to his ability of not being able to be equipped with anything. When destroyed by means other than battle, Chained Dynamite destroys any card on the field. Destroy Blowback Dragon."

"Shoot! I lay one card down."

"Giving up?" Malady taunted.

"We just began; of course not!"

"But aren't you afraid? You have already killed someone. What if your temper snaps and you end up slaying your precious friend?"

"That won't happen!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Shut up!" Brandi snarled. "That was a mistake, alright?! A mistake! I wasn't thinking… I didn't want to…"

"Don't deny it. You did want to kill her, didn't you? For even daring to hurt your brother, you exploded. What will happen if you continue to do that? What if you happen to perhaps even kill your own brother one day?"

"That's insane!" Brandi shouted. Yet inside, her heart felt pangs of doubt.

"I would continue, but it is time to have this duel won."

Hope looked at her next card. "Summon Big Bangirl. (1300/1500) Play Earthbound High Place, a permanent magic card. Then equip Gear Freed with Dagger of Butterflies-Eruma. Activate Earthbound High Place. When an equipment magic is played, I gain 1000 Life Points. Big Bangirl inflicts 500 damage."

Hope: 9000

Brandi: 7500

"Eruma is destroyed due to Gear Freed. Return it to my hand. Lose 1000 Life Points to Earthbound High Place, for having an equipment magic destroyed."

Hope: 8000

Brandi: 7500

"It's an infinite burn combo!" Will realized.

"Correct."

"I activate Cyclone!" Brandi announced. "Destroy Earthbound High Place!"

"Both monsters attack directly."

Hope: 8000

Brandi: 4400

"I will now summon Drillago! (1600/1100) Drillago attacks Big Bangirl! Then I lay another card down."

Hope: 7700

Brandi: 4400

"Summon Royal Magic Library. (0/2000)"

"Oh no!" Will exclaimed. "Brandi! She's going to try to get an infinite draw combo!"

"She can do that?"

"Royal Magic Library gets a magic counter every time a magic card is played. Once she ditches three magic counters, she can draw one card!"

"In that case, I activate Destruction Ring on Gear Freed!"

Hope: 5900

Brandi: 2600

"End turn."

"Attack with Drillago!"

"Magic Cylinder. You take 1600 damage."

Hope: 5900

Brandi: 1000

Brandi shook her head. "I was hoping to save this, but I need to draw something now! I will have Mana activate her Deck Master ability! I look at two cards on the top of my deck, for that is how many of my monsters were destroyed. Perfect! I take the second one and put it in my hand. I summon Critter! (1000/600) Then I lay one card down."

"Sacrifice Royal Magic Library to summon Magical Marionette. (2000/1000) Activate Raise Dead. Revive Gear Freed."

"What now?" Brandi muttered.

"An infinite attack!" Will realized. "For each magic card she plays, Magical Marionette gets a magic counter. For every magic counter, its attack raises by 200!"

"To halt your combo, I play Deck Destruction Virus of Death! By sacrificing my Critter, all monsters with 1500 or greater attack on your field and in your hand are destroyed! In addition, for the next three turns, any monster you draw with 1500 or greater attack is destroyed! I also get to search my deck for a monster with 1500 attack or lower."

"End turn."

"Amazing!" Draken commented. "She stopped all three infinite Eruma combos!"

"I summon Surprising Matasa! (1300/800) Then I equip him with Power of Teamwork, raising his stats by 800 for every monster I have! (2900/2400) Attack twice with Matasa, and once with Drillago!"

Hope: 0

Brandi: 1000

"A close call on your part," Malady smirked. "Nevertheless, you won. Impressive. Of course, since when do we follow the rules?"

Streak came flying back to land on her shoulder. That's when everyone noticed the new group of officials. There were ten of them, apparently summoned by Streak.

The Duel Disk clanked against the floor as Hope discarded it. She began to slowly advance on the group, the officials following.

"How are we going to get through this?" Rue groaned. "We're already exhausted from fighting those others."

Suddenly, something in Fell's pocket began to glow. He took out his Soul Card. It was shining with a white light.

He seemed to understand what to do. "Blood seeker, come forth. Take what you desire; slaughter them all!"

A monster emerged from the card. It was a huge brown dog. It had a short tail, two devilish horns, and mad, red eyes. The fur near its paws was worn away, showing bone and wicked claws. Its enormous, deadly teeth dripped with saliva. There was a gold collar around its neck, with a bone-shaped name tag. It said M on it.

"It's… a Mad Dog of Darkness!" Brandi exclaimed.

The Dog snarled, and leapt on the nearest official. The man cried out as his chest was raked with those sharp, deadly claws.

"So the dog will hold of them, but what are we going to do about Hope?!" Gaston protested.

Another glow caught their attention. Larka gave her Soul Card a surprised look, before saying, "Come forth and help us!"

A smaller monster came out. It was a very cute dog. Its brown fur was curly, and its short tail wagged madly. Its black eyes were soft enough to melt any heart, and around its neck was a collar that was the same as the Mad Dog's.

"I recognize this monster," Will said. "Lost Dog Malon!"

The dog gave a small yip.

Larka's eyes lit up. "Malon! Let's play a game of fetch! Go get the remote from that woman!"

"What?!" Malady screeched.

The dog looked at Malady, and pounced on her. His small jaws closed around the device easily. He jumped back to Larka, offering the trophy.

"Good boy!" she said, taking the remote. Malon barked excitedly. "Now how do you work this thing?"

The minute Malady had lost the remote, Hope had frozen. The Mad Dog ignored her, focusing on killing all of the officials. The last one had his neck snapped in half.

Larka looked at the three buttons on the remote. "Ok, time for a random pick…" She pressed the one that was lowest.

The collar snapped open, falling to the ground. Hope fell to the ground, very weary.

Malady backed away with a glare.

"Don't think this is the end!"

Streak began to fly around her. They were surrounded with smoke. When the smoke cleared, they were gone.

"Hope!" Gaston knelt by her.

"I'm ok… I think…" She stood shakily. "So that's what it did… I'm so sorry!"

"It wasn't your fault," Brandi told her. "Blame that woman. It's all her fault…"

"Speaking of which, I bet she went to get reinforcements!" Rue inferred. He gave the Mad Dog a nervous glance. "I don't care how strong that dog is. Even he'll get tired eventually."

The Mad Dog licked blood from his chops.

"Then let's get out of here!" Miles suggested.

Although the experience of being mind controlled had tired Hope somewhat, she was able to run easily enough. They ran towards the elevator. Hope wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but Zack seemed to be lagging slightly.

"We'll go first!" Gaston announced.

Malon whined at the elevator, and crouched behind Larka, shaking nervously. The Mad Dog growled.

"It's ok," Larka said softly, picking up Malon. "You'll be fine."

Malon tried to bury himself into her arms.

She sighed. "I'll come with you guys. I don't think Malon will go in without me."

They entered the elevator. In a few minutes, it arrived again, and everyone else boarded.

When it opened, they found the Soul Monsters and Larka. There was one official, but he was dead. Darche had already cleaned his sword of blood.

"Let's get out of here quickly!" he said.

They ran down the hall, and exited the building. There were two more officials, but the Mad Dog was instantly on one, shredding his body. The other was dispatched by Darche. They ran into the alley.

"Which way now?" Hope asked Rue when they came to the first fork.

"I have no idea… Zack was the one who led us here. Hey, Zack! Which way do we go?"

They turned back to see Zack approaching slowly.

"What's the matter?" Hope inquired.

"I'm just a little tired… that's all…" Then he collapsed.

"Zack!" She was by him immediately. "Are you alright?"

"I've used… too much… energy…" He struggled to rise, and fell instantly.

"Hang in there!" She turned to Gaston. "Can you help?"

Gaston eyed him. "Hey, Darche! Lend a hand, will you?"

"No problem." They managed to support the worn out cyborg. He was barely conscious now.

"How are we going to find our way now?" Mana wondered.

"I think I can remember it," Miles replied. "As a thief, I often memorize escape routes by pure instinct. I think we go right here…"

It was a slow, anxious trip, but after some time they finally emerged at the bus stop.

Rue looked at the sign outside the building, and swore. "Closed!"

"We're doomed," Neo stated. 

"Put simply, yes, we are." Miles sighed in exasperation. "Now how are we going to get back to Hope's place?"

That's when they saw a big, blue van drive up, with a green one following it.

Hope stared at them in disbelief. "That's Amy's car! And my mom's!"

"Your sister and mother? What are they doing here?" Rue asked.

"I have no idea, but the timing couldn't have been better!" She ran up to the blue car, which had just been parked by the sidewalk. She saw her sister jump out of it.

"Amy! What are you doing here?"

"I'll tell you later," Amy replied. She looked at the group. "We should have enough room, as long as the Soul Monsters leave for the minute."

"I'm afraid that will be impossible in my case," Gen told her, showing her his injured arm.

"We should have enough room anyway."

The other Soul Monsters vanished, except for Malon. He whimpered at Larka. She whispered something to him, and then he vanished as well.

"Draken, Miles, Fell, Larka, and Gen, get into my mom's car. Rue, Will, Brandi, can you help me get Zack in? We'll stay with my sister."

With a small struggle, they managed to support the cyborg long enough for him to enter the car. He had barely managed to sit in the back before lapsing into unconsciousness. The others got in swiftly, Brandi to the back with Zack, Rue and Will in the middle, and Hope in the front, next to Amy. Then they were off.

"So how come you came here?" Hope asked.

"I was coming for a surprise visit," Amy explained. "When you weren't here, I asked your friend-Claire is her name?-where you were. She explained everything. I asked your mom to help, and we drove out here to find you guys."

"I don't understand something," Brandi said. "Weren't you killed?"

"Yes, Hope did indeed end my life back then. But I was resurrected when you defeated Satan," Amy called back. "I thought you told everyone that Hope?"

"Brandi wasn't around for a while, so I never got the chance."

*****

The rest of the drive was made in silence. When they arrived at Hope's house, Rue and Will went to help Zack again. He still wasn't awake, so they half-dragged, and half-carried him into the house, which Mrs. Gales had unlocked. Gen also seemed much weaker from blood loss. He was still able to walk easily enough though.

Claire was waiting. "Hope! Thank goodness you're ok!"

"Thanks for telling Amy what happened," Hope said. "We would have been doomed otherwise."

"It wasn't a problem. Oh, Gen! What happened to you?" she exclaimed.

"An incident with a bullet."

"I see. Come up to the guest room. Oh gosh! Zack too?"

"No. He's just tired, I think. But I don't know why," Hope responded.

"He absorbed an entire electric force field, and then fired it at a group of officials," Rue explained.

"Then I guess he just needs rest. Lay him on the couch in the living room. Miles, you want to come with me and Gen? Hope, would you please look over Max when you get up there? Make sure he isn't having another nightmare. The rest of you should relax. It must have been a tough night."

It was agreed too. The companions went to the family room, leaving Zack to rest. Gen and Miles followed Claire upstairs. Fell seemed distracted though. He went back outside.

"Where's he going?" Rue asked Larka.

"He probably just wants to think. I wouldn't be too worried."

*****

Miles carefully untied the red bandana from Gen's arm, wincing as he saw that it was completely soaked with blood.

"Guess I'd better get this washed…"

Claire looked at his neck. "What happened?"

"That's why I wear the bandana," Miles told her. "So I don't get questions about this scar."

"My apologies." She began to work on Gen's arm. "Please try to relax."

"Of course."

"Miles, if you put that in the bathroom, I'll treat and wash it later. Did the bullet enter your body?" she asked Gen.

"No. It just grazed me."

"You got very lucky." She finished cleaning the wound, and started wrapping his arm with a bandage. "If you relax for some time, you should be ok in a few days."

"Thanks."

"Glad I could help."

Miles had been unusually silent, looking at his bandana.

"Please be careful with it."

Claire was surprised at the request, but didn't show it.

"I'll make sure I am."

He reluctantly handed over the bandana, and went over to the other bed, falling asleep almost instantly. Gen soon did the same.

"Poor guy," Claire whispered. "Something happened that he just doesn't want to tell anyone. That will only hurt him far worse in the end."

*****

Fell stared at the night sky from his position on the roof.

_The moon is almost full… _He sighed. _It will come again…_

His Soul Card flashed, and the Mad Dog leapt out.

"You are concerned with something," the dog growled.

"Yes."

"You need not worry about that any more," his companion stated. "Malon and I have already taken care of it. As long as we are nearby you and your sister on the designed day, it will not occur."

Fell glanced at him. "Interesting. So there are more benefits to Soul Monsters than I first thought."

"Indeed. I can only hope to serve you to the best of my ability, if not beyond. I shall follow any command you give."

"And what should I call you?"

"Daine will do."

"For the first, and probably last, time in my life, I will welcome the help of another."

*****

Hope was relieved to find that Max was sleeping peacefully. 

_If only he could always be like this… so calm…_ she thought sadly. Unable to fight back her weariness, she proceeded to climb into bed.

*****

Olympion groaned mentally at what he saw.

The sign in front of him said, "Welcome to Hawaii!"

This was even more doubtful then Atlanta, Olympion thought in disgust. He looked at the airport again, and made a mental note to get on the right plane this time.

*****

Malady set down her phone, satisfied with the night's work.

"So what if they managed to escape? Soon they will be within our grasp… soon…"

Streak fixed his red eyes on the paper in front of Malady, and nodded in approval.

"Let them run. They cannot hide forever!" Malady smirked.

To be continued…


	14. Light and Darkness Collide!

Another new chapter, yay. *Is running out of things to say at the author's note*

Whispering Hope: Yes. Ominous=Good! And yes, we all feel sorry for Olympion. Poor guy is so confused. 

John: Thanks for the compliment. And he took a wrong plane. _

Zander: First time you told me that. _ And those collars are totally evil-who doesn't want one?

***Chapter 14: Light and Darkness Collide!***

_Hope looked around the dark area, trying to find something… something important… so important, yet she had lost it…_

_She spun around, hearing someone approach. A black pitchfork with red prongs buried itself into her chest. She was aware of it piercing through her heart, to emerge from her back. The blood was nothing compared to the one who wielded the weapon… He stared at her, with a triumphant smirk as she fell, unsure of what was worse: the agony, or the feeling of loss._

Hope sat up, trying to steady her breathing. It was a nightmare she had experienced several times. She kept falling victim to Satan's pitchfork, while desperately calling for her friends. But they were never there.

Once she calmed down somewhat, she climbed down and opened the blinds in her room. Sunlight seeped in. She looked at her clock afterwards.

"Nine… we must have slept in. But who can blame us?" 

She walked out to the hallway, to find Claire.

"Hi. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thanks. Where are the others?"

"Miles and Gen are in the guest room. Fell never came back into the house. Zack is still on the couch-he's completely out of it. Everyone else is still in the family room."

"WAS in the guest room," Miles corrected, coming outside.

"Is Gen awake as well?"

"He's coming around, yeah."

"I'd best check on him, then get back to Max." She gave Miles his bandana again. "I washed it last night."

"Thanks a lot." He tied it around his neck, hiding the dreadful scar.

"Glad I could help." She went into the guest room, the other two following.

"How are you feeling?" she asked the injured Soul Monster.

"Fine," Gen answered.

"As long as you don't move that arm around much, you should be able to walk around easily enough. Just take it easy."

"Thanks." He got up to come with them downstairs.

That's when they heard a yell of shock.

"Now what's happening?" Miles muttered.

It turned out that Daine had surprised Mrs. Gales when he and Fell had come back into the house. She was apologizing to all of the others, who had been awakened by her scream. The Soul Monsters had even jumped out of their Soul Cards to see the commotion. 

"I just didn't expect to see something like you," she told the Mad Dog.

Daine didn't seem to mind.

"Well, now that we're all up, we might as well make use of it," Gaston suggested. "Let's go to the family room, and talk. There are quite a few things I would like to know."

They went to the family room, settling down. Soon everyone was comfortable, except Malon. He was all over the place. He tugged on Daine's paw, trying to get him to play. Daine knocked Malon over gently, which only seemed to energize the puppy.

"Here boy!" Hope called. Malon jumped into her lap, licking her face. "Stop it! That tickles!" she laughed. Obediently, Malon relaxed into her arms. "Aw, you're so cute! Thanks for helping yesterday." Malon yipped at her happily before running back to Larka.

"So I guess that's another mute," Gaston muttered.

Daine's sensitive ears caught the comment. "Malon cannot talk, for he is too inexperienced to use the human vocabulary. I am quite a bit more advanced in it however."

"So we're just calling him Malon for short? What about you?" Darche asked.

"I prefer to be referred to as Daine."

"Nice to meet both of you," Claire said politely.

Malon ran over to her and raised a paw for her to shake. She laughed at his adorable posture.

"He fits you Larka."

"I'm sure," she said in response. "Enough on that though. Malon, would you please do me a favor? Go get the newspaper, so we don't have to be distracted by your cuteness."

Malon galloped off instantly. Amy, who was just coming downstairs, was nearly knocked over. She immediately opened the door to let the dog out, and went outside herself. 

"Before we say anything else, can you tell me what happened?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, I would like to know too," Perseus added.

Hope told of how she had been arrested, and then Rue explained their trip to the prison and their escape.

"So this collar controlled you completely? But you knew what was happening?" Claire asked Hope.

"Yes… it was terrible. I wanted to do anything to stop it, but couldn't…"

"If they have more of these, we're going to have a very hard time dealing with them," Perseus pointed out.

"True," Gaston replied. "All we can do is deal with it as it comes. Oh, one thing I wanted to ask you Hope. The way you talked last night, it sounded as though they had hurt you at some time."

"That collar released an awful pain when it was first put on," she explained.

"Well, it was controlling you. Maybe it was trying to 'connect' with your brain?" Will suggested.

"A possibility," Draken said. "Miles, you seemed to recognize that device yesterday. Did you know of it?"

"Somewhat. I heard they were trying to make some big project. I just worried that whatever that was, it wouldn't be good."

"You were right there… well, I'm more concerned with Zack then myself right now," Hope stated. "He absorbed an entire force field? How long will he be unconscious?"

"Who knows?" Rue shrugged. "I wouldn't be too worried. It took him a long time to notice the side effects. He should be up and about soon enough."

It was at that moment that Malon ran back in, carrying the newspaper.

"Thanks," Larka said to him, taking it from him. She looked at the front page, and yelped.

"What is it?" Brandi inquired. Hope had noticed that she seemed somewhat depressed, and was impressed that she could hide it so well.

"Just look at this!" Larka flung the newspaper into the middle of the room, revealing the headline.

**Wanted: Criminals of Virtual Reality**

"That's just perfect," Draken said sarcastically as they read the article. "It mentions all of us. Look! Our Soul Monsters were noted as well."

"At least they don't have any pictures of us, but the descriptions will give us away anyway," Gen noticed.

"In other words, we're totally screwed," Miles announced.

"Very much so," Hope agreed. "Everyone in my neighborhood knows me by now. Any one of them could just call to try and turn me in, which would result in you all being found."

"There's really only one way to get out of this dilemma, and that's to take out the Commanders that are hiding as officials," Will advised.

"But how are we supposed to do that?" Rue asked. "It was hard enough just trying to rescue Hope. Killing their leader will be even more difficult."

"That's true. But what if we could corner her in Teknisk Wereld?" Darche suggested.

"Why would she come there?" Mana argued.

"Well, if she can't find us in the real world, where else can she look but Teknisk Wereld?" he retorted.

"It might work, but that doesn't solve the problem that we might be discovered here anyway," Draken pondered.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," Amy said, entering the room. "Don't worry about being found. I can take care of anyone who comes to the door. Besides, I doubt anyone in this neighborhood would give Hope's location away."

"Good point," Hope agreed. "People around these parts prefer avoiding trouble most of the time, and are usually not traitors at heart."

"Usually is the key word," Miles muttered. Fortunately, nobody heard him.

"We'd be appreciative if you helped," Claire told Amy. "I'll try to assist as well. I have to stay here to look over Max, after all. I'll also check on Zack. I can't help him, for I have no experience in the matter, but when he comes around I'll tell him where to go to find you guys."

"We'll owe you a lot at the end of this whole thing," Hope joked.

"I'm just trying to help."

"And for that we're grateful," Hope assured. "So when should we leave?"

"Why not now?" Larka suggested. "I don't see any reason for delay."

"Well, if all of you are ready, we can go now," Hope agreed.

"I see no problems with that idea," Draken stated, getting out his Envoyant Machine. "We'll be seeing you two later."

"Good luck!" Claire said as they slipped into the other world.

Amy shook her head sadly. "Why must all of this happen to one of my only siblings?"

"She'll get through it fine, as long as you trust in her," Claire promised. "I deal with the same thing every day, while Rue is gone. As long as they stick together, they'll get through it."

"Yeah… thanks…" Amy walked over to the living room, sitting in the remaining chair. "There isn't much else to do… I'll just read. If Zack wakes up, I'll handle it. You just take care of Max, ok?"

"Definitely."

*****

This time they arrived at the lake edge.

"How does it determine where we end up?" Larka inquired as she stood up. Malon was running around the area, barking excitedly at the new area. He almost plunged into the lake, but Daine grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw him back onto shore.

"It's random, as far as I know," Gaston replied. "We can worry about that later. The key thing here is to find the Commanders of Heaven while keeping away from others. It is better that few see us."

"But where to begin looking?" Mana wondered.

Suddenly, everyone's Duel Disks began to glow, as when the new bannings had been announced.

"Greetings duelists. It's Keith again-yes, two announcements in such a short amount of time. Very uncommon, but necessary. First of all, many of you might have seen the newspaper, and know about the wanted fugitives. Please, if you see them, report it to us immediately. Be careful though-they are extremely dangerous."

"This is overkill," Miles complained.

"The other thing I wish to discuss is that a new rule has been added. What is it? That is something you will need to figure out yourself. Good luck duelists!" The Duel Disks grew dull again.

"Well, that was fun," Rue stated. "Now we are really going to have to be cautious."

Bored from the talk, Malon had been running up the hill to search for something to do. When he got to the top, he saw two people and two Soul Monsters approaching.

Everyone was startled to hear a howl at the top of the hill. They looked up to see Malon leap down the other side, out of sight. In a few seconds, he reemerged, clinging to the arm of a confused Cyrus.

"Hm… even I did not expect such a greeting after so long." Sarius came into view, Raid and the Child following him. The Child still carried the golden ball in his arms. "Please, do us all a favor and call off your vicious friend."

"Sarius?! What are you doing here?" Hope asked.

"Who are they?" Miles inquired.

"We don't know much about Sarius, the Child, Raid, or Cyrus. Sarius helped us defeat the Generals of Hell, but even then we don't know whose side he's on," Hope told him.

"So they will probably not try to kill us for no good reason?" Draken inferred.

"Most likely."

"Malon! Let go of him now!" Larka called.

With a small whine, Malon let go of Cyrus' arm, and ran back to Larka. She picked him up and patted him gently. "You're a great watchdog, ok? Just don't attack those who mean no harm." Malon licked her gently.

"It looks like you've added some new companions to your ranks," Sarius commented. His eyes darted over Miles and Draken, and then he directed his attention to Larka, looking into her eyes.

A surprised look crossed his face. _What? No… that's can't be right… _He looked at her again. _No, it's true. I cannot deny it… what a coincidence. _Then he looked over at Fell, narrowing his eyes. _And he is... This is quite unusual, to find the one I seek with the group I observe the most. Not only that, but the boy holds potential-I did not expect to find one in Teknisk Wereld, of all places. Of course, he cannot unlock it for some time yet…_

Larka fidgeted nervously under Sarius' gaze, and was relieved when he shifted it to her brother, who just stared back, undaunted.

"…I see." Sarius calmly walked over to them, the others following, to Larka and Fell. "For those I have not encountered yet, care to introduce yourselves?"

"I'm Miles, the pretty boy with silver hair is Draken, the girl who owns the rabid dog is called Larka, and the guy who never cuts his hair is Fell. OW!" He yelped as Malon bit his leg. "Geez, sorry I insulted you! Now let go!" Malon let go, growling once before trotting back to Larka.

"But what happened?" Hope asked. "You chased after Juno, but we didn't see what happened after that."

"For now, that is not of your concern." Sarius' eyes flicked over Malon and Daine. "Hm, ironic. A deck of Darkness, and another of Light. Quite interesting. As a matter of fact, I wish to test your skills. Not individually though." The Child stepped up beside him. "This will be a tag team duel; Larka and Fell versus the Child and me. Unless you decline?"

"What are the stakes?" Larka asked.

"None. I simply wish to test you."

"I'm up for it-I still need more practice," Larka announced. "Hey, Malon! Ready for your first duel?" Malon barked and ran up to her side.

Fell was silent for some time, before finally beckoning to Daine. He ran up obediently.

"You're actually going to duel?" Miles asked. "And here I thought you were someone who only cared for yourself."

"…I have my reasons."

"How will we order this?" Larka inquired.

Hope pulled a card out of her Duel Disk. "Larka, is this a magic or trap card?"

"Um… magic?" she guessed.

"It's a trap," Hope stated, showing her the Holy Barrier-Mirror Force. "Sarius gets to choose the dueling order."

"I will go first, then Larka, then the Child, then Fell. I have a unique way of playing tag team duels though. We will share one field, one Cemetery, and Life Points."

"We can do that?" Larka wondered.

"Yes. You just need to choose the correct programs on your Duel Disks. So basically, both of you only have access to the same five monster zones, and magic and trap zones. If you use Cry of the Living Dead, you can revive your brother's monsters, as you share the same Cemetery, and so on."

"Is that it?" she asked.

"All that is needed. Let us begin!"

Sarius and Child: 16000

Larka and Fell: 16000

"I will begin by summoning Magic Reflector Reflect Bounder. (2200/1500)"

"Whoa, wait a minute! He should only be at 1700/1000!" Larka protested.

"Raid's ability raises all of my Dark and Light Main-Types' stats by 500." He cast a quick look at the Child. "I lay two cards down to end."

"This will be tricky…" Larka murmured, drawing. "With only one field magic slot, it's either my power boost or Fell's… well, since he has Reflect Bounder out, I'll leave it up to Fell," she decided. Then she raised her voice. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and one card down. Your turn."

The Child looked at his hand, and summoned Executioner Makyura. (2100/1700)

"…One monster in defense. End."

"I will now summon Dark World Warrior Dark Sword. (2300/2000)"

_I hope this is the right thing to do… _"I activate Tidal Wave! This destroys all of our monsters, including my Twilight Zone Female Warrior!"

"My Black Forest Witch dies… (1100/1200) I now search my deck…"

"A rather good play. I can do nothing else."

"I will summon X-Head Cannon! (1800/1600) He attacks directly!"

"I activate Magic Cylinders," Sarius announced. "You should know what that does by now."

"Unfortunately, yes… I end after laying one card down."

Sarius and Child: 16000

Larka and Fell: 14200

The Child summoned a Mad Dog of Darkness. (2400/1400) Cyrus then began to glow, pointing his sword at the ground. Another Mad Dog of Darkness appeared, growling menacingly. (2400/1900)

"But how?!" Larka protested.

"By paying 500 Life Points, the Child can special summon another Dark or Light Main-Type monster."

Sarius and the Child: 15500

Larka and Fell: 14200

The Child pointed at the X-Head Cannon. His Mad Dog rushed to destroy it, only to be blocked by three women.

"I activate Emissary of Harmony!" Larka declared.

The Child nodded, signaling the end of his turn.

Fell looked at his hand. "Summon Breaker, and remove his magic counter to destroy your remaining magic or trap."

"That was my Wicked Barrier-Dark Force…"

"You know what's sad?" Miles commented. "That's the longest sentence I've ever heard Fell say." He shut up when Daine glared at him.

"Play Dark Zone. (2100/600) (2900/1400) Equip Breaker with Demon Axe. (3100/600) Attack a Mad Dog. Then one card down."

Sarius and the Child: 15300

Larka and Fell: 14200

"This is going to be one long duel…" Rue complained.

"Hm… this should be interesting," Sarius commented. "I remove Dark World Warrior Dark Sword and Magic Reflector Reflect Bounder to special summon Chaos Soldier-Messenger of Creation! (3500/3000) Now he attacks Breaker, and then uses his effect to attack X-Head Cannon as well!"

"Activate Skill Drain," Fell announced. "After paying 1000 Life Points, all effects are negated."

"I knew I should have brought some magic and trap removal," Sarius muttered in disgust. "I lay one card down and end."

Sarius and Child: 15300

Larka and Fell: 12800

Larka looked at her hand. _Hm__… this might work… but Fell's Skill Drain is ruining it for me. _"I lay one monster in defense mode, and switch X-Head Cannon to defense mode. I also play Sealing Swords of Light."

"I counter it with Curse of Magic-Sealing. By discarding Dunames Valkyria (1800/1050) from my hand, your magic card is negated."

"No! I end…"

The Child summoned a Dark World Warrior Dark Blade (2800/1600) and had both of his creatures attack Larka's monsters. Her X-Head Cannon and Mimic Illusionist were cut to shreds.

Larka looked at her hand, at what she wanted to play. "Fell! We're in a tight spot right now! I have an idea that might work, but I need your help to pull it off!"

"…" Fell looked at his hand. "Daine."

"Yes?"

"I need a method to get another monster on the field."

"Then I'm the one to ask." Daine gave a long, haunting howl.

When it finished echoing, a monster emerged from Fell's deck. The Blood Vors (2400/700) snarled at the opposing monsters.

"So that is your Deck Master's special ability?" Sarius assumed. 

"That is correct," Daine answered. "Once per duel, my master can special summon a level four or lower Dark Main-Type monster from his deck. Of course, he can still normal summon as well."

"Summon Demon Soldier. (2400/1000) Lay one card down, and end."

"That does no good. I remove Dunames Valkyria and Mad Dog of Darkness to special summon Chaos Emperor Dragon! (4000/3100) Then I play Seeds of the Beginning. Since I have Chaos Soldier and Chaos Emperor Dragon face up, I can activate this card. I take two monsters removed from the game and add them to my hand. I pick Magic Reflector Reflect Bounder and Mad Dog of Darkness. Now I summon Mad Dog of Darkness. (2900/1500) My Mad Dog attacks Demon Soldier."

Fell flipped over his Attack Nullification.

"In that case, I lay one card down, and end."

Larka looked at her hand. "This might just work… Malon! Can you use your Deck Master ability?"

Malon's howl filled the area. A Dunames Valkyria appeared instantly. (1800/1050)

"Thanks! Now I activate Tempest!"

"A rather foolish move," Sarius stated. "You may have destroyed my Holy Barrier-Mirror Force, but you also destroyed your brother's Skill Drain and Dark Zone."

"That was part of my plan," she told him.

"What?"

"I sacrifice Dunames Valkyria, Blood Vors, and Demon Soldier to summon Gilford the Lightning! (2800/1400) I can bring him out by just sacrificing two monsters, but if three are used, all of your monsters are destroyed!"

"…Damn it."

"Now Gilford attacks directly!"

Sarius and Child: 12500

Larka and Fell: 12800

"I lay one more card, and end my turn."

The Child played Raise Dead. The Chaos Emperor Dragon roared, sending a stream of energy at them. (3500/3000)

"I activate Magic Cylinder!" Larka countered.

Sarius and Child: 9500

Larka and Fell: 12800

The Dragon sent a wave of black and white upon them. Everyone was forced to shield their eyes. When it vanished, everything was destroyed.

"I will explain," Sarius said before Larka could ask. "By paying 1000 Life Points, the Chaos Emperor Dragon can destroy all cards on the field, and in our hands. You take 300 damage for each card destroyed by this effect. I discarded one. The Child lost four, and he lost his own Dragon."

"I lose one card as well," Larka informed them.

"I lose two…" Fell stated.

Sarius and Child: 8500

Larka and Fell: 10100

"So now it's a luck of the draw," Miles realized.

"…Summon Skilled Black Magician. (1900/1700) Attack directly."

Sarius and Child: 6600

Larka and Fell: 10100

"I activate Angel's Gift." Sarius smirked. "Perfect! I discard Breaker and Blade Knight. Now I remove both of them to summon Chaos Sorcerer! (2800/2500) He will attack your Skilled Black Magician."

Sarius and Child: 6600

Larka and Fell: 9700

"I lay one card down, and end," Larka decided.

The Child lay one card down, and ended.

Fell simply said, "Cyclone," and then ended his turn as the Child's Tidal Wave was destroyed.

"I will have my Chaos Sorcerer attack directly."

"Activate Cry of the Living Dead to revive my Gilford! (2800/1400)"

"I will call off the attack, instead choosing to use my Chaos Sorcerer's ability. Once per turn, he can remove one face up monster from the field out of the game. Now I end."

Larka breathed a sigh of relief at her next card. "I summon Wandering Hero, Freed! (1700/1200) By removing my Mimic Illusionist and Dunames Valkyria, he destroys your Chaos Sorcerer! Then he attacks directly!"

Sarius and Child: 4900

Larka and Fell: 9700

The Child summoned Magician's Valkyria (2100/2300) and had her attack Freed.

Sarius and Child: 4900

Larka and Fell: 9300

"Activate Theft, taking Magician's Valkyria," Fell said. "Attack directly."

Sarius and Child: 2800

Larka and Fell: 9300

"All I can do is play Black Core. By discarding Soul Absorption, the Valkyria is removed."

"I summon Magic Reflector Reflect Bounder! (1700/1000) Attack!"

Sarius and Child: 1100

Larka and Fell: 9300

"Quite a dilemma," Sarius stated. "Can you do anything?"  
The Child shook his head, laying one monster in defense mode.

"Emissary of Obliteration," Fell said. "It removes your facedown monster from the game."

His Dunames Valkyria (2200/1550) was removed instantly.

"I lay one monster in defense, and end," Sarius decided.

"I summon Twilight Zone Female Warrior! (1500/1600) She attacks your defense monster!"

"My Magician's Valkyria will not be destroyed that easily. (2100/2300)"

"That may be true, but I can still activate my Female Warrior's effect, to remove both monsters from the game! Now Reflect Bounder attacks directly!"

Sarius and Child: 0

Larka and Fell: 8500

"Impressive," Sarius stated as he shut off his Duel Disk. "You work well together."

"Thanks," Larka replied. She was keeping a tight hold on Malon now, for the little puppy had almost tripped Neo when running around in excitement about their victory.

"We will be leaving shortly," Sarius told them. "But first, I would like to ask something of you, Fell. Please come over here-I do not wish to be overheard."

Eyeing him cautiously, Fell followed him over the hill, out of sight and hearing. Daine followed; Sarius made no movement to stop him.

Sarius turned to Fell. "I originally came to this area to see how the group is doing after their run in with Satan. I did not expect to find one such as yourself."

"...What do you mean?"

"You have something that very few have," Sarius explained. "A great power… but you cannot access it yet. To be able to put these powers to use, you need proper training. Not many can offer something like this, but I am a rare exception in that category. That is why I offer this. If you wish to, you may come with me, to be taught how to use your powers to the greatest extent. I will not lie-it is not an easy thing to learn, or do. If you choose not to, I will completely understand."

_Power… what I would have given for it previously. But now, I do not know… Is it right to desire death?_

"…I can give no definite answer," Fell replied. "I must think on it for a long time… even then, I may reach no conclusion."

"Take as much time as you need," Sarius said. "Time means nothing to me at the moment." They walked back to the others.

Malon had managed to escape Larka's grasp, and had fallen into the lake. The poor puppy had managed to swim to the bank, but was too tired to run about when he finally made it to Larka again.

"Our time here is done, for now," Sarius announced. "We shall meet again, later. Do not get captured in the meantime."

They walked off, leaving the group to discuss what to do next.

To be continued…


	15. Two Turn Duel!

This has got to be the most pointless chapter ever. I mainly made it for one plot scene and a random duel in honor of a friend of mine. So he'd better be darn grateful! _

***Chapter 15: Two Turn Duel!***

"We need to get more under cover," Draken suggested. "This shore is just too noticeable-anyone passing by could see us."

"That's true," Hope agreed. "How about the forest? Not many go there. And even if there are some people there, we will probably not run into them."

"Or so we can hope," Gen said. "Now remind me why we are just sitting here, not doing anything?"

They made their way to the forest. As they walked, Daine asked Hope something that had been concerning him.

"Hope, you say you have met Sarius and his companions before. Did that Child always carry that golden ball?"

"As long as I can remember," Hope recalled.

"I got a bad feeling about it…"

"All of us do too," Gaston told him. "It's just too powerful, in some way."

Malon whined in agreement.

"We're nearly there," Miles called back. He was leading the way to the forest.

Daine suddenly snarled.

"What's the matter?" Larka asked.

"Someone is coming, from up ahead."

Malon barked in agreement. He ran forward, vanishing over yet another hill.

They heard a scream of pain over the hill, and they hurried forward. When they saw the sight that awaited them, Hope almost collapsed laughing.

Toan had Cow biting onto his left arm, and Malon on his right. Samuel was trying to pull Cow off his arm, with no luck. Julia was laughing too hard to be of any help. Maria and Carl were completely bewildered. 

There was another boy with them. He wore a very dark blue shirt-it looked almost black. His shorts were black, and his tennis shoes were a casual white. He had short brown hair, with soft brown eyes. He was cautiously trying to make Malon let go, backing away every time the puppy growled at him.

Another Soul Monster hovered close by. It looked like a white space ship, but not just any ship. It seemed to be a battle model, and was currently being absolutely useless to the injured Toan.

"OW OW OW!" WHO'S CRAZY IDEA WAS THIS?! WHY DO I HAVE TO BE HATED BY DOGS EVERYWHERE?! NEXT THING YOU KNOW, A MAD DOG OF DARKNESS IS GOING TO COME AND CHOMP ON MY LEG!"

Daine looked at Fell. "I can't resist… do I have permission?"

Fell shrugged.

Daine ran down the hill and bit down into Toan's right leg.

"OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! THE PAIN! THE PAIN! THE PAIN! IT HURTS LIKE CRAZY! WHY MUST I BE TAKEN LITERALLY?! WHAT DID I DO TO INSULT THESE RABID DOGS?! WHY DO I DESERVE THIS?!"

Even Samuel and the other boy couldn't help but laugh at this. Although everyone found the situation extremely amusing, Larka felt some pity for the boy.

"Malon! I think you've caused enough trouble for a life time! Come on over!" she ordered, trying not to burst out laughing again.

Malon scratched Toan on his stomach as he jumped off, running over to Larka. Daine let go as well, calmly trotting to Fell. Toan grabbed Cow by the scruff of his neck, yanked him off, and used four Red Potions on himself.

"That was not a pleasant way to meet," he snarled, glaring at Malon, who blinked at him innocently.

"Hey Hope!" Julia said in a much more friendly tone.

"Hi guys!" she greeted.

"Friends of yours?" Draken asked.

"Yep. She's Julia, the one who was trying to get the Milus Radiant off is Samuel, and the one bitten is Toan."

"Who's the other guy?" Rue inquired. "We haven't met."

"I'm Josh. Nice to meet you all," he greeted. "And the space ship is a Futuristic Space Fighter: Vic Viper. Viper for short. He's not very talkative though."

"Um… it's a he?" Miles asked doubtfully.

"I just call him a he by instinct," Josh shrugged. "I'm addicted with science fiction, so it kinda fits my personality."

"Hope, we want to know what's happening," Julia demanded. "What is going on? We find you running around as a criminal? I want an explanation!"

"It's all a misunderstanding," Hope told her. "We did nothing wrong. They just think we were a part of the group who took down the barrier around Teknisk Wereld. But we did nothing wrong!"

"You sure?" Samuel asked, looking at Rue.

"I'm not a cold-blooded killer!" Rue protested.

"Sure you aren't…" Samuel said, backing away slowly.

"Hope, I am going to kill you one of these days!" he whispered menacingly.

"You're only reinforcing their mental image of you," she pointed out.

"…Darn you."

"So who are all of you?" Josh asked.

Miles quickly introduced everyone.

"So you're on the run?" Toan asked. He was holding Cow by the scruff of his neck still, and the Milus Radiant struggled to get free.

"That's right. We need to find the one who is behind these false charges. What about all of you?"

"We were just being bored," Julia told them. "All the movies were sold out… again… so we came here to meet Josh for some free dueling. He wants to test out his deck."

"A free duel?" Draken asked.

"That's right."

"I'm up for one. I changed some things in my deck, and I'd like to test them out."

"Sounds good. Let's go!"

Draken: 8000

Josh: 8000

"May I go first?" Josh requested.

"Be my guest."

"I summon Futuristic Space Fighter: Vic Viper! (1200/800) Then I activate my Deck Master's special ability. By discarding Shine Angel from my hand, I can special summon a Vic Viper from my deck. (1200/800) I lay two cards down, and end."

"My first card will be Sapphire Dragon! (1900/1600) Then I play Stomping Crash, to destroy your magic or trap and deal 500 damage to your Life Points."

"I chain it with Emissary of Harmony, saving my Life Points in more ways than one."

"Shoot… I lay one card down, and end."

"My turn? I discard Magic Jammer to special summon another Vic Viper. (1200/800) Then I play Limiter Removal! This doubles all of their attack power! (2400/800) (2400/800) (2400/800) Now I activate Delta Attack! I can only activate this card when I have three normal monsters with the same name. They can all attack directly for one turn. So they all attack!"

"I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force, destroying all of your Vic Vipers!"

"Nice try, but I counter with Bandit's Swiss Army Knife! By paying 1000 Life Points, I negate and destroy your trap."

Draken: 800

Josh: 7000

"I end my turn, and all of my Vic Vipers are destroyed."

Draken smirked at his draw. "You should have been more careful. I summon Lord of Dragons! (1200/1100) Now I play Dragon Calling Horn! I can only use this when I have a Lord of Dragons on the field. It allows me to special summon two Dragon Sub-Types from my hand, so I call forth two Blue Eyes White Dragons! (3000/2500) (3000/2500) My Blue Eyes and Lord of Dragons finish you off!"

Draken: 800

Josh: 0

"That was horrible," Josh commented, turning off his Duel Disk. "I'd better get some more support cards for my deck. Thanks for playing me, even though it was a complete embarrassment on my part."

"No problem," Draken shrugged. 

"We'd like to duel some more, but we have to get into the forest," Hope explained. "It's best to stay out of the officials' sight."

"What if they catch you there?" Josh asked.

"We're hoping they won't be there."

"Well… we helped you before…" Samuel said slowly.

"Yeah… and we'd be willing to help again…" Julia agreed, catching on.

"My sheep could use a work out," Toan finished. "You won't have to worry about any officials for today. If they try to enter the forest, they'll find themselves in a stampede!"

"You guys rule," Hope laughed. "Thanks!"

"Hey, I enjoy causing chaos," Toan joked. "And Cow loves doing that too, except he's so cute, nobody takes him very seriously. YEOW!" He furiously pulled Cow off his arm again.

"We'll want a detailed story later," Julia informed Hope.

"You'll get one. See you guys later!"

They entered the forest, waving goodbye to the four friends.

*****

Olympion was about to give up all hope.

A sign, nearly buried with snow, said, "Welcome to Alaska!"

A random snowboarder crashed into the sign, his snow board nearly hitting Olympion. In a very bad mood, Olympion snapped it in half like a twig, flinging the pieces at the snowboarder before turning to leave.

"Hey! You have to pay for that!" the snowboarder cried.

Olympion turned and glared at him.

"I mean… have a nice day sir!"

With a growl, Olympion went back to the airport.

*****

"Sir, it's like they just vanished!"

"I see… they are concealing themselves rather well. But they cannot hide forever…"

"Sir!" Another man ran into the room. "Did you see this article?"

The man scanned the newspaper. "Most interesting! I shall have to talk with these officials. Perhaps we can assist each other."

To be continued…


	16. The Wisdom of a Loved One

Ok, no more filler duels for a while, or so I plan. ^_^;

LunaticChaos: I'm glad you enjoyed these chapters. Don't expect them to be beaten again… not easily, anyway. Cut shorter? Maybe… it is hard to write 42 chapters on only one plot line, but certainly possible. We'll see. And a few ideas… it depends. What exactly would these ideas be? Run them by me-I might approve, I might not.

Zander: Yes sir! No sir! Three bags full sir! _

John: Remember, he's never been to an airport. And his sense of direction is wacko. You try finding the correct location like that. _

Whispering Hope: Nah, he knows enough to stay in America. =P

***Chapter 16: The Wisdom of a Loved One***

"I never get tired of being here," Miles commented as they walked through the forest.

"It is a nice place, but shouldn't we be concentrating on more important things?" Gaston pointed out.

"Yeah, just saying," Miles shrugged.

After a few minutes of silent walking, they heard a rumbling from the distance, and many high-pitched cries of terror. They only managed to hear one clearly.

"THE SHEEP ARE BACK!"

"I didn't know the officials would come so soon," Gen stated dryly, as everyone else held back their laughter.

Daine seemed more concerned. "I think some are here though. At least, someone is nearby."

As he finished speaking, a group of ten officials crashed through, ending up right in front of them.

The two sides faced each other, waiting for the other to make their move first. That's when Hope got an idea.

"Stay here and the British will get you!" she shouted.

The officials were paralyzed for a whole ten seconds before running, screaming.

"What… the… hell?" Draken said in disbelieve.

Neo had nearly collapsed laughing, and Rue was almost at that stage himself.

"The officials seem to hate the British," Hope informed the confused Draken.

"I see." He shook his head wonderingly.

With no further words, they continued into the forest.

*****

"This is RIDICULOUS." Matt folded his arms across his chest. "No. You are in no condition to do this."

"I must."

"Why? Why can't I go alone?"

"It will be better for her if she sees me."

"I can't argue with that… but this will only make your health worse!"

"I do not care."

"But… argh! Why must you be so stubborn? Alright, fine! Just know I strongly disapprove of this."

"I am well aware," she replied with a small smile.

*****

"I hate times like this!" Neo complained. "It gets boring, just walking around all day."

"Please, for the sake of me, shut up," Will requested. "I have a headache the size of Mount Everest."

"You're no fun," Neo muttered. But he was quiet after that.

Suddenly, they heard a loud crash. A tree nearby had toppled over. Malon ran ahead to investigate. In a few seconds, he ran back, howling as he ran into Larka's arms.

"What's wrong?" Larka asked him. His quaking was the only thing that answered her.

Then a Soul Monster emerged from the depths of the forest. Miles swore loudly while Draken drew his sword instantly. Larka stepped backwards instinctively as Fell braced himself.

Everyone else instantly recognized the monster though. Mana immediately retreated into her Soul Card while the others tried to explain.

"It's ok!" Hope assured their wary companions. "It's just Masque! He's a friend. But what is he doing here? I thought Matt was busy elsewhere."

Masque hissed softly.

"Do you think he wants us to wait here?" Gaston inferred.

"Is that it?" Brandi asked him.

Masque hissed again.

"Let's take that as a yes," Miles suggested as Draken sheathed his sword.

An uncomfortable silence filled the clearing, except for an occasional whine from Malon. A few minutes later, they heard a few more people approaching.

Matt emerged first, a woman following behind him. She had on a pale white dress that went down to her ankles. The bottom of it was made of lace though, revealing the white tights she wore. Around her neck was a golden pendent. Her short hair was a blonde similar to Brandi's, but a little darker. Her eyes were a soft green. 

Beside her was a female Soul Monster. She had on a short, purple shirt over her top that covered her shoulders, and a long, purple skirt on her lower portion. It was open in the front though, leaving her legs exposed. On the left side of her stomach and leg was a golden tattoo that appeared to be a Chinese dragon. Her purple gloves went up to her elbows. She had two golden bracelets around each of her arms. Her red hair went all the way down to her legs, mostly loose but with two braids. Around her head was a thin, gold tiara. Her blue eyes held a kindly look.

What amazed everyone were the two children that followed the woman. They both looked very young, about six or so was Hope's guess. The boy wore a black shirt and black shorts. His tennis shoes were black too. He had short brown hair, and hard green eyes. 

The girl's looks astonished Hope. She had on a white shirt that resembled a blouse, with a blue shirt under it. Her black pants didn't quite reach her ankles, but they were too long to be considered shorts. Her hair was a mixture of brown and blonde, and was kept back in a ponytail. It was her face that caught their attention though. Her eyes were the same soft blue that Brandi's were. Actually, her whole face resembled Brandi's, just much younger.

Brandi had grown pale when she saw the woman emerge. She was only able to say one thing.

"Mom!"

The woman nodded.

Unable to stop herself, Brandi rushed forward to hug her mom, completely breaking down. Her mother didn't seem to mind the tears as she embraced her daughter.

"Huh? Did I completely miss something?" Rue asked, bewildered.

""Nice to see you guys again," Matt greeted. "Looks like everyone is here… wait, who are you two?"

"I'm Miles, he's Draken," Miles said. "You?"

"Call me Matt," he replied. "And the others will be introduced in a minute."

Brandi finally allowed herself to let go of her mother, who smiled. "It's been six years… it's natural to see that you've changed. I still can't get over it though."

Brandi nodded, casting a curious look at the children by her mother.

"So Brandi, that's your mom?" Gaston asked.

"Yes, that's right. You may call me Abby," her mother answered.

"I'm more puzzled by these kids," Rue admitted. "Who are they? How can they enter Teknisk Wereld?"

"My name is Chasity!" the girl said enthusiastically. "And that's my brother, Ender! I'm happy to finally meet my big sister!"

"Sister?!" Brandi stared, shocked.

"What? I thought Max was Brandi's only sibling?" Neo asked.

"I did too. Apparently, something happened that even Brandi didn't know about," Hope inferred.

"Yes Brandi, these are your siblings. Chasity's father is Randall, and Ender is from Jason. So technically, he's your half brother," she told her gently.

"…Oh," Brandi said. She knelt down before Chasity. "You do look a lot like me."

"Yep!" Chasity grinned.

Ender did not seem as excited to meet Brandi. He just observed her from a distance.

"So how old are you?" Brandi asked.

"I'm six, and Ender's five! Don't mind him-he's really shy around new people."

"I see…" She seemed sad as she said this.

Abby could sense her daughter's distress. "Brandi, what's wrong? It seems you are sorrowful about something."

Brandi couldn't contain the feelings that had been plaguing her, and found herself telling everything.

"I killed someone… so brutally it is disgusting. She had no chance to defend herself-no matter how cruel she was, she couldn't even fight back! I did it out of rage, for she was hurting Max, but now he's frightened by my actions. If it had been before he had amnesia, it might have been different. But now… he'll never feel comfortable around me again!"

"So that is the problem," Abby sighed. "Well, here is what I have to say about the issue. Anyone with amnesia can become easily scared at the smallest things. A major event like this would indeed frighten him. But remember, this is not Max. The true Max will come back with time. When he does, I have no doubt that he will forgive you for what you did, especially if it was to help him. All of us have things we are ashamed for, and we will never completely recover from them. In time though, you will learn to forgive yourself."

"But she stood no chance!" Brandi protested.

"Would she have been any better off with a weapon?"

"…"

"You know full-well that she would have died anyway. And then she would have gone on to kill other innocents. Is that what you wanted? Your brother to die, leaving you with a murderer?"

"I guess not…" Brandi admitted. "You're right… Max will recover eventually. Thanks mom… I feel a lot better now."

"That's my goal," Abby smiled.

"Ok, question and answer time," Matt announced. "What's going on here? Everyone is talking about these criminals who broke down Teknisk Wereld's barrier. I go to find more information, only to learn that everyone here, and some other guy who I do not see here, is wanted!"

"Here we go again…" Draken muttered.

Brandi explained all that had happened, including how they met Miles, Draken, and Zack. Eventually, she concluded the narrative by saying that they were trying to find Malady, and any other Commanders.

"What a pain," Matt said when she was done. "If only there was concrete evidence! Then I would have them thrown in front of Supreme Court-no exaggeration," he informed Hope, who looked slightly shocked at his threat.

"Here's my question," Will said. "How can Chasity and Ender be here?"

"It's an experiment," Abby explained. "The officials are trying to find a safe way for children to come to Teknisk Wereld. They finally came up with a permanent way."

"What would that be?" Gen asked.

"It's a simple barrier that makes it so that they cannot be hurt by wild monsters," Matt replied. "Pretty nifty. That's the only reason Abby could come anyway-her health is still very frail, I'm afraid."

"Matt never would have let me sign up," Abby laughed. "That's why I had to do it behind his back. He was furious when he found out."

"So you're new to this world?" Larka assumed.

"That's right. But I have dueled for a long time."

Malon was bored again. He whined, and ran over to Chasity, licking her face.

"Hey!" Chasity attempted to get him off.

Malon jumped off, wagging his tail.

"Hi puppy!" she said, holding out her hand for him to sniff.

Malon licked it and jumped around her excitedly. She laughed, trying to pet the enthusiastic dog.

"So do Chasity and Ender know how to duel?" Will asked.

"Yes," Matt nodded. "And they are pretty good, but that's to be expected. Just look at how good their parents are!"

"We know about Randall, but how good are you Abby?" Hope inquired.

"Well, how about you see first hand? I haven't seen my daughter play in quite a long time. Brandi, let's have a duel."

"What? Mom, are you sure about this?" Brandi asked doubtfully.

"Um… I wouldn't be so overconfident," Matt warned. "She nearly destroyed me when I dueled her, and I'm no newbie when it comes to playing!"

"If you're sure…" Brandi accepted. "But I need Mana, and she's not about to come out with Masque here."

"Oops, I forgot about that," Matt said sheepishly. Masque vanished into his Soul Card, and after Brandi whispered a few things to hers, Mana emerged.

Mana's eyes darted between Brandi and Chasity, who was playing with Malon.

"Ok… I did not know you had a ten-year younger twin," Mana joked.

"Very funny. Now get over here; we have a duel to win."

"So that is your Soul Monster… what is your name?" Abby asked.

"I'm a Black Magician Girl called Mana! Hey, what about you?" she inquired to Abby's Soul Monster.

"An Otohime, you may refer to me as Hime."

"Alright! Then what are we stalling for? Let's begin!"

Hime leaned over to Abby, and whispered, "Are you sure about this? You don't even know what my ability is."

"It shouldn't make that much of a difference," Abby assured. "I'll find out soon enough, right?"

Brandi: 8000

Abby: 8000

"You may go first," Abby offered.

"Sure. I summon Igzarion Universe! (1800/1900) Then I lay one card down."

"It seems weak enough," Abby murmured. "I will summon Susanoo. (2000/1600) He attacks, destroying your Igzarion! But you only lose 100 Life Points, due to his effect of halving the damage you take."

Brandi: 7900

Abby: 8000

"Now I play Spirit Fixation Equipment."

"What does that do?" Brandi asked.

"My spirits now do not need to go back to my hand at the end of my turn."

"What do you mean?"

"I've heard of spirit monsters," Draken said thoughtfully. "They are monsters that cannot be special summoned, and they go back to the owner's hand at the end of their turn. That must be why she played Spirit Fixation Equipment-so that her Susanoo would stay on the field."

"That's correct," Abby replied. "I end my turn. In doing so, I discard Maharagi (1200/1700) to pay for Spirit Fixation Equipment. If I refuse, the card is destroyed."

Hime frowned, and whispered something to Abby. Abby gave a mischievous smile in response.

"It's time to get Susanoo off the field," Brandi declared. "I activate Cyclone! This destroys your Spirit Fixation Equipment."

"Susanoo actually stays on the field. Spirits only return to the hand at the end of the turn they were summoned," Abby explained.

"Oh well. I'll just summon Critter, (1000/600) and then activate Deck Destruction Virus of Death! By sacrificing my Critter, all of your monsters with 1500 attack or more are destroyed in your hand and on the field!"

"All that is destroyed is my Susanoo."

"I get to search my deck for Critter's effect to get a 1500 attack or lower monster. Then I lay another card down, ending my turn."

"I summon Fushinotori. (1200/0) My fire bird will attack!"

"Does it have a special effect?" Brandi asked cautiously.

"When it inflicts damage to your Life Points, I gain the same amount."

"I will counter with Destruction Ring, destroying it! We also both lose 1200 Life Points."

Brandi: 6700

Abby: 6800

"It matters not. I lay one card down, ending."

"I summon Executioner Makyura! (1600/1200) He attacks directly! That's all."

Brandi: 6700

Abby: 5200

"This is turn two of the Virus?"

"Yes."

"Hm… I need a way to get around your high attacker. This should do. I summon Inabashirousagi! (700/500)"

Everyone stared at the cute white rabbit in the center of the field, and the rocket it carried.

"That is wrong on so many levels," Miles commented.

"Just watch what he can do!" Abby grinned.

The rabbit jumped on the rocket, and took off into the sky, out of sight. A few seconds later, Brandi yelped in surprise and pain as the rocket crashed into her from the back. The rabbit then flew back to Abby's field.

Brandi: 6000

Abby: 5200

"Cute," Brandi growled, rubbing her back. "A direct attacker."

"Yes. Now I end."

The rabbit vanished, due to his Spirit effect.

"It must be embarrassing, getting owned by a rabbit," Rue joked.

"It must be embarrassing, getting beaten up to the point of death by a girl," Brandi retorted.

Rue shut up after that.

"I sacrifice my Executioner Makyura to summon Vampire Lord! (2000/1500) He attacks directly!"

Brandi: 6000

Abby: 3200

"When Vampire Lord inflicts damage to your Life Points, I call either monster, magic, or trap. You search your deck and discard one of the types I choose. So I call magic."

"I will discard an Elemental Spring," Abby decided. "Is it my turn? And the last turn for that Virus… I summon Inabashirousagi again. Another direct attack!"

Again, the rocket crashed into Brandi, bypassing her Vampire Lord completely.

Brandi: 5300

Abby: 3200

"And now I end."

This time, the rabbit did not vanish.

"Ok, why is that fur ball still here?" Mana demanded.

"That is Hime's Deck Master ability. I can choose whether to return my Spirits to my hand or not."

"Then I wasted a Cyclone," Brandi snarled. "Just my luck. I summon Giant Orc. (2200/0) Vampire Lord attacks your rabbit!"

"I activate Emissary of Harmony, saving him."

"I can do no more."

Abby smiled at her next card. "Perfect! I activate Cost Down, discarding Asura (1700/1200) to lower all of the monsters in my hand levels' by two. Then I sacrifice my Inabashirousagi to summon Yamatanodragon! (2600/3100) I lay one card down, and then he attacks Vampire Lord!"

The eight heads each shot a stream of fire at the Vampire Lord, easily destroying him.

Brandi: 4700

Abby: 3200

"Now his effect is triggered. When he does battle damage to you, I get to draw until my hand contains five cards. So I draw four cards. Then I end my turn, choosing to keep my Yamatanodragon on the field."

"As if you wouldn't," Brandi muttered. "I summon Drillago! (1600/1200) Then I play Dark Zone, raising all of my Dark Main-Types attacks by 500, and lowers their defense by 400. (2700/0) (2100/800) Giant Orc attacks!"

"I counter with Holy Barrier-Mirror Force. All of your monsters are destroyed."

"Oh joy… I end."

"Now it is over!" Abby declared. "I activate another Cost Down, discarding Sand Specter (2200/1800). Now I sacrifice Yamatanodragon to summon Hinokagutsuchi! (2800/2900) He attacks directly!"

His hand began to glow red-hot. Flames leapt around it as he slammed his fist into Brandi's stomach.

Brandi: 1900

Abby: 3200

Draken winced. "Ouch! That had to hurt."

"Not as much as the rocket," Neo joked.

"Before you draw, his effect activates. You are forced to discard your entire hand to the Cemetery. I also activate Seal of Time. That makes it so you cannot draw."

"Brandi's locked!" Gaston realized.

Brandi thought. "Yeah, it looks like I am…"

"Hold on!" Mana protested. "What about my ability?"

Brandi shrugged. "Well, what do we have to lose? I use Mana's Deck Master ability. I get to look at my next five cards, for that is how many of my monsters are destroyed. Hm, good! I take Black Hole, and use it!"

"What good will that do you?"

"Well, it turns out I still have a card in my hand," Brandi smirked.

"What? That's impossible!"

"Not quite. My Regenerating Mummy (1800/1500) has a unique effect. When he is discarded by one of your cards from my hand, he comes back to my hand. So now I summon him!"

"You still cannot kill me," Abby pointed out.

"That's true…"

Mana looked at her staff. "Hey, Brandi. Remember what that Keith guy said about a new rule?"

"Yes?"

"I think I know what it is," she said confidently.

"What?"

To her amazement, Mana leapt right from her spot at Brandi's side to the dueling field.

"You forget, I'm a Duel Monster as well! I have the ability to fight! (2000/1700)"

"So that's the new rule? Our Soul Monsters can be special summoned?" Will assumed.

"There's got to be a catch somewhere," Gen thought.

"We'll have to test that another time! Mummy attacks, then Mana finishes you off!"

Brandi: 1900

Abby: 0

"You have come a long way," Abby smiled as she shut off her Duel Disk. "I'm quite impressed."

"Thanks," Brandi grinned in reply.

Malon finally ran back to Larka, panting happily as Chasity chased him.

"Hey Chasity, you and your brother duel? You want to have a match?" Hope asked.

"Ok!" Chasity agreed.

"No, let Rue duel her!" Will interrupted. "I want to see him get slaughtered by a six year old girl!"

"Hey!" Rue protested.

"What, you don't think you can win?"

"Of course I can!" Rue snapped. "Just watch!"

"I don't have a Duel Disk though…"

"We'll play without one," Rue assured. "No Deck Masters either."

"Ok!"

Rue: 8000

Chasity: 8000

"May I start? I summon Doublecoston! (1700/1650) Then I lay two cards down, ending my turn."

"I play Tempest!" Chasity began.

"Ugh… my Cry of the Living Dead and Torture Wheel are gone."

"Now I summon Amazoness Swordswoman! (1500/1600) Then I lay two cards down. It's your turn."

"I sacrifice Doublecoston to summon Black Magician! (2500/2100) Normally he would require two sacrifices, but Doublecoston counts as two sacrifices for any Dark Main-Type. Then I equip him with Power of Teamwork and Power of Magicians! Teamwork raises his stats by 800 for each monster I have out, and Magicians raises his stats by 500 for each magic or trap I have. (4300/3900)"

"You're just as stupid as you look," Chasity commented. "Raising one monster that high? When he is killed, you won't have anything to defend with."

Will almost collapsed laughing.

 "Oh can it," Rue grumbled. "Now Black Magician attacks your Swordswoman!"

"That wasn't a smart move," Chasity frowned. "You're going to take a lot of Life Point damage for that."

"How so?"

"When you attack my Amazoness Swordswoman, you take all Life Point damage I would have received."

Rue: 5200

Chasity: 8000

Rue got up, walked over to a tree, and slammed his head against it before coming back. "Ok, that's better. I end my turn."

Matt beckoned to Brandi. Curious, she got up to follow him.

"I summon Amazoness Archer! (1400/1000) Then I activate my Amazoness Gypsy! This switches my Amazoness Archer's base attack strength with your Black Magician's. (3200/2100) (2500/1000) Then I activate my facedown Destruction Ring on your Black Magician!"

Rue: 2000

Chasity: 4800

"What is it?" Brandi asked.

"I just wanted to try to comfort you," Matt said. "You're nervous, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Try to relax." He kissed her gently. "That's all."

Brandi blushed slightly, and nodded shyly.

"Oh, and one other thing." Matt handed her a deck of cards. "Here's Max's new deck. Identical to the old one, as far as I can remember. It was a pain getting some of those, but they're all there."

"Thanks," Brandi nodded. "I'll give him it later."

They went back in time to see Rue's downfall.

"Now Amazoness Archer attacks!"

Rue: 0

Chasity: 4800

"I thought you would be stronger than this. You need to practice more," Chasity scolded.

Will made no move to conceal his mirth. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA! The ever-so-mighty Rue is getting told off by a six-year old girl!"

"Shut up!" Rue chased after him, trying to strangle him.

"Well, he got owned," Neo snickered.

Ruecian shook his head in a disbelieving way.

"And the funny thing is, you were right," Matt told Brandi.

"Hm?"

"He did get beaten up to the point of death by a girl, just like you said. You're psychic!"

Brandi laughed in response. Hope had found the situation amusing as well, but something was on her mind.

"Since I didn't get to duel Chasity, do you want to duel?" Hope asked Ender. "I could use the practice."

Ender just stared at her silently, and then reached for his deck. "Fine."

They sat opposite of each other, and Hope got out her deck. A flicker caught her eye. She looked up, and gasped.

Around Ender was an aura of darkness. It wasn't as thick as the one Max and Olympion produced, but she could still see it. It seemed to be made of anger and hatred.

"What's wrong?" Gaston asked.

"Can't you see it?" Hope whispered. "Around Ender… an aura!"

"I see nothing," Gaston murmured, looking confused. "Are you imagining things now?"

"No…" Hope looked down at her chest. Underneath her shirt she kept the orb she had acquired from the robed man-she didn't like too many people seeing it. It was now softly glowing with a black light.

_What's going on?_

"Are we going to begin?" Ender asked impatiently.

"Oh, sorry. You can go first."

Hope: 8000

Ender: 8000

Ender looked at his hand. "I've already won."

"How?" Hope asked.

"I lay two cards down, and summon Controller of the Dead: Jougen. (200/1300) Then I end my turn."

"Ok…" Hope drew her next card.

"I activate my trap card, Sealing Wall of Light. I pay as many Life Points as I want, in 1000s, when activated. I pay 7000. Now no monster with 7000 attack or lower can attack me."

Hope: 8000

Ender: 1000

"But that should be easy to destroy," Hope said, puzzled.

"That isn't the reason I used it. I activate Last Battle! This card can only be used when I have 1000 Life Points or lower. All of the monsters on our fields are destroyed, besides one I choose. Obviously, Jougen is my choice."

"Then what?"

"You special summon another monster from your deck, and our two monsters battle. The survivor wins the duel."

"Ok…"

"But Jougen's ability prevents you from special summoning any monsters. Therefore, I automatically win."

Hope: Defeated

Ender: 1000

"My God…" Hope shook her head in wonder. "Such a combo! I never knew of first turn wins, besides Exodia… amazing…" Inside though, she felt somewhat panicked. If a five-year old was capable of pulling such combos, who was to say that the opponents they faced could not?

Ender shrugged casually, picking up his deck and walking over to his mother. Hope noticed the aura get a little darker.

"Mommy! That guy I beat is trying to kill the smarter guy!" Chasity said, pointing over at Rue, who had nearly caught up with Will.

"Play nice boys," Abby chided.

"I am! But he isn't!" Will protested, jumping over a log, leaving Rue to trip over it.

Matt looked up at the sky. "We have to go. The officials will be expecting us. If they catch us with you…"

"Yeah, you're right." Brandi went over to her mother, and hugged her again. "I'll miss you."

"Don't worry. We'll see each other soon. Good luck."

"Yeah! I can't wait to see you and Malon again!" Chasity told her, patting the puppy one last time. "And to see if that other guy has gained any common sense."

"Doubtful," Miles joked. "Well, see you guys later."

"Bye!" Chasity called back as they walked back through the forest.

To be continued…


	17. Separated!

New chapter up, yay, hooray, etc.

Whispering Hope: Yeah, Ender is based off the Ender in Ender's Game. I couldn't find his description though! It only had Peter's in the book. And what's with you and my people? Are you trying to be in love with a made-up character?

John: Um, there were three duels. Which one did you mean?

LunaticChaos: I hate that combo too. It was necessary though. The virtual world is not my idea at all, so I really can't say anything about that. If you watch the Anime, you'll notice even it has a world like it. But the Soul Monsters… I'm kinda touchy on that. It's an idea I haven't seen used before, so I like that specifically. Can you tell me more details? Email me if you wish to discuss.

**Chapter 17: Separated!**

"There's no point in hanging around here any more," Draken stated. "We should get back to searching."

By this time, Rue had finally grown tired of chasing Will. "Yeah…"

Hope was still worried about how swiftly she had been beaten. But that wasn't the only thing she was concerned with. The aura she had seen unnerved her completely. It had seemed so menacing…

"Something wrong?" Gaston asked.

"No, it's nothing," Hope assured. "I agree, let's get moving."

_Liar,_ Gaston thought, looking at Hope. _Something is troubling you… something more than just a simple loss. But I'll respect your wishes._

"I have a request though," Hope announced. "Can we go through the forest to be near the lake? I want to see if my other friends are still there."

"It is possible they might have left," Miles pondered. "Ok, I'll lead the way, going in a route that'll bring us by the lake shore."

"Thanks."

…

Claire pushed her hair away from her eyes wearily.

She was very tired, for she had to stay up most of the day and night to look over Max. He seemed to be recovering, but he was still in the danger zone.

"You're exhausted," Perseus told her as she left the room.

"I know that full-well," she sighed.

"You should rest. I'll wake you up if anything happens with Max."

"Oh all right… thanks. I just need to check on something, and then I'll go to the couch in the family room."

She walked downstairs, and over to Zack's unconscious form. She looked him over, and shook her head.

"Still out of it… it's been a whole day now. How much longer will it take?" She walked back to the family room, her questions still unanswered.

…

They emerged from the trees to the shore of the lake and looked over at where Hope's friends had been.

"Not there anymore…" Brandi frowned.

"They probably had to high-tail it or get caught in the stampede," Draken assumed. "Well, let's get back to the forest. Nothing else to see here."

"Hold it right there!"

"I take that back," Draken muttered as a group of twenty officials leapt out.

"They seem to like coming in tens," Miles joked.

"And that is important… how?" Gen asked.

"Quiet! You are all under arrest!" one of the officials announced.

"Oh please… can't they think of any better opening speeches?" Rue complained. "And maybe quit coming after us? They don't stand a chance when it comes to a fight, especially with our support cards."

One of the other officials stepped forward. Besides the standard official suit, with a badge that said 'Top Employee', he had short black hair, and brown eyes. "Your Duel Disks will be of no help this time. I activate Prohibition Order, banning you from using your Duel Disks in anything except duels!"

"He can do that?" Hope said in disbelief.

"Go ahead; just try to teleport out!"

"If you say so…" She attempted to bring up the menu, only to get a message that said 'ACCESS DENIED'.

"Just great…" she muttered.

"You still think you can defeat all of us?" The official smirked. "And don't think that we have no Soul Monsters on our side!" He held up a Soul Card.

A huge dinosaur emerged with a roar. It looked like a black T-Rex. Its wicked fangs were as sharp as daggers, and its claws were just as painful looking. To make matters worse, the beast was at least nine feet tall.

"This will be fun," Rue said sarcastically.

"It makes no difference… I'll take care of them," Brandi decided.

"Don't even try it!" Hope protested. "We won't be able to heal your torn legs with our support cards banned!"

"What other option do we have?"

Will pointed over at the lake. "There's one place they cannot follow us. We need to flee by water!"

The official overheard him. "Moron! You can't flee without a vessel, and the only one that would fit you all is a Skull Blood Pirate Ship. Even if you could activate one, we can easily follow you with our own!"

Miles grinned. "There's a problem with your plan."

"And what would that be?"

Gen walked back over to Miles, and held up the Skull Blood Pirate Ship, saying to the stunned officials, "You won't be able to follow us without your own ship. Not to mention that this card isn't prohibited, is it?"

"Get them!" the official howled. The dinosaur snarled, teeth gleaming as he came forward, the others following.

Mana looked over at the group. "Ruecian, Neo, help me out here! Let's distract them! Everyone else, get the ship ready to sail!"

Ruecian held out his hand and sent out a wave of black magic. A barrier suddenly surrounded the dinosaur, blocking the attack.

"Attack Nullification…" Mana muttered. She held up her staff and sent a sphere of black magic flying, which was once again blocked.

Neo was tired of waiting around. He charged at his opponent, slicing at the dinosaur's leg. It jumped back nimbly, and swept its powerful tail at him. Neo was sent crashing to the ground. Then the beast lunged, its teeth ready to tear apart the fallen swordsman. In a moment of desperation, Neo's hands began to glow. He clapped them together, vanishing.

The dinosaur stopped, looking around in confusion. Then Neo reappeared-right over the monster. He fell, crashing into the beast's back. Neo saw the opportunity and stabbed his sword into its back.

The tyrannosaurus rex screamed in pain, bucking. Neo barely managed to hold on to his sword, avoiding being thrown off.

By this time, Miles had managed to summon the Skull Blood Pirate Ship, and everyone else was now onboard besides Ruecian, Mana, and Neo.

"Neo! Quit playing with the overgrown lizard and get over here!" Will shouted.

"Sure thing!" Neo extracted his sword from the dinosaur's flesh and leapt off. He managed to jump on the ship, shortly followed by Ruecian and Mana. The dinosaur attempted to pursue them, but was pushed back by another blast of magic that Mana shot, hitting him on the nose.

"Get back here!" the official cried.

"Sorry, no can do!" Miles told him. "Adios guys!"

Then the ship sailed away, followed by a stream of curses from the defeated official.

…

_"Forgive me," he whispered as the blade came down. "Although I understand if you do not."_

_He had not fallen by sheer might; he had fallen from the pain in his heart called sorrow._

Why can I not forget? Is this the price I must pay for my deeds?

…

"We're not home free yet," Draken warned. "Until we destroy that Prohibition Order, we're stuck here. Any bright ideas?"

Will was trying to help Neo relax against the ship's mast; he had been pretty battered up by getting slammed around with the dinosaur's tail. Miles was steering the vessel Gen had stolen. Everyone else was trying to relax, although that did not come easy.

"They might wait on the shore until we come back," Larka suggested. "Maybe we could go back when they least expect it, for a sneak attack?"

"That will probably be the only way to go," Darche agreed. "A direct approach is just not going to work with that dratted dinosaur. Normally he could be hacked apart easily, but that official has support cards while we don't. Surprise is the best idea I've heard."

Miles looked up at the sky. "It's too early to go back to shore now, but we need to find a place to dock quickly."

"Why?" Hope asked.

"Just look at those clouds! A storm is coming. It's way too dangerous to stay at sea with a storm."

"Where's the nearest place that we can stop?" Rue inquired.

"Not too far, luckily. But we won't make it before the storm comes. We're going to have to battle our way to it."

"That isn't reassuring," Gaston told him.

"Unfortunately… oh well. We'll see how things go."

A few minutes later, it began to rain. Hope looked down at the water, which was starting to cause the ship to shudder violently.

"Why did they program storms into Teknisk Wereld?" she asked Will.

"Beats me. Probably to make it as lifelike as possible, which is bad for us."

"Even thunder and lightning?" Hope inquired. A thunderclap answered her.

"Looks like a rough one!" Miles called back. "You guys should get below deck! I'll stay and steer."

"And if you get knocked off by a tidal wave, then what happens?" Draken pointed out. "We need to stay up here!"

"Fine, but I'm not paying the laundry bills!" Miles informed them.

Gaston looked over the side of the ship, and paled. "Grab something solid!"

"What's the matter?" Rue asked.

"Wave coming!" He seized the mast, grabbing Hope with his free hand.

The tidal wave's arrival was a fierce one. It crashed over the main deck, leaving Hope gasping for breath when it was finally over.

"Man overboard!" Brandi shouted. "I mean woman! Larka's gone!"

Daine's endurance was remarkable. He had managed to stay onboard when the wave had come by simply digging his claws into the floor. He had also grabbed Malon with one of his paws, saving the puppy. When Malon heard what Brandi said, he gave a fierce howl. Pulling free of Daine's grasp, he jumped over the side of the ship, to go crashing into the waters below.

Daine snarled, jumping after Malon. Fell was right behind him, fearlessly leaping into the wild waters below.

"Damn it!" Rue growled. "Miles, you have any life boats, or at least a rope? My Lifeline is off limits right now!"

"We can only hope!" Miles called back. "Their Soul Monsters are dogs, after all. Maybe they'll be able to swim to shore!"

"In this weather? Impossible!" Hope protested. "Malon is only a puppy! He'll never make it! And Daine can't carry all three of them!"

"We can discuss this later!" Miles told her. "We have to get on shore, if we don't want to end up like that!"

Everyone knew he was right, although they disliked leaving their companions. The rest of the trip was a time of anxiousness. Luckily, only one more tidal wave came their way. Neo was nearly swept over, but Ruecian managed to pull up a barrier in time.

At long last, Miles yelled, "Land! Get ready to abandon ship!"

The minute the ship reached the island, they leapt off. Miles went last, recalling the Skull Blood Pirate Ship. This island had many trees, and they instantly ducked under cover of the leafy branches.

"What can we do?" Mana asked.

"The best we can do is search," Draken said. "Hopefully, we'll find them alive…"

"But this body of water is so big!" Hope protested. "They could be anywhere!"

Darche had an idea. "After the storm calms, I'll summon some of my friends. The Blue Eyes White Dragons should be able to assist."

"Why didn't we call them against the officials, and avoid this whole mess in the first place?" Neo asked.

"It's wise that he didn't," Gen told him. "When I stole his card, I noticed another; a Dragon-Sealing Jar. These guys are prepared to deal with us in any manner."

"They're certainly smarter than the Generals of Hell, or so it seems…" Will concluded.

Draken stood up. "I'll take first watch with Darche. Hopefully the storm will let up soon."

…

Larka was taken completely by surprise. She had no chance to resist the waves as they slammed into her. She was knocked senseless in a time span of a few seconds.

She was dimly aware of resting on a solid surface. She managed to hear someone say, "Sir! I found one of them!" before darkness closed around her.

…

It was freezing cold.

That was the first thing Fell realized when he made contact with the water. His second thought was to find Larka. He took a deep breath before diving. Ignoring the salt water that pained his eyes, he looked everywhere underneath the water. He found nothing, and was forced to come up for more oxygen.

Daine was there, attempting to hold onto Malon by the scruff of his neck with his jaws. The puppy kept whining fretfully.

"Master! Grab onto me!" Daine managed to get out.

Fell knew that even the strongest person on earth could be easily defeated by the force of nature. He grabbed onto Daine's front left leg, and held on grimly. His iron grip did not relax until he slipped into unconsciousness.

…

Larka opened her eyes slowly, and examined her surroundings.

The first thing she noticed was five officials. Two of them were leaning against some other trees, and two others were talking to the man that seemed to be in charge. She did not recognize any of them, and concluded that they were not from the group with the lead official and his dinosaur. Still, any officials these days were bad news. That probably explained her position right now. Her wrists were bound behind her back, with her ankles in the same condition. It seemed they were being extra careful this time; she was also tied to a tree on the outskirts of the forest. She realized that they were closer to the mountains than the lake, and that they must have taken advantage of her weakened state.

_What a perfect scene to wake up to… _she thought, shaking her head to try and clear it. Judging by the sun's location in the sky, she judged it was early morning. Now that she had some idea of where she was, she tried to listen to what the officials were saying.

"…as quickly as possible, we'll be moving on in about an hour." The one to the man's left said, "Yes sir!" before running off.

The one to the man's right said, "No, we have not found anything yet. It seems like they got separated."

"To be expected, I suppose. Ok, go tell the others to spend this last hour searching the town. Then come back."

"Yes sir!" he replied, leaving as well.

The lead official turned back and looked over at Larka. His suit too had a 'Top Employee' badge. His light brown hair was done back in a neat ponytail, to accompany a goatee. His light brown eyes held a sly look in them.

He walked over to Larka, smirking slightly. "So, you are one of the criminals we have been after. I'm not very impressed-I expected more resistance."

Larka remained silent.

"It appears you have been separated from your fellow members. I need to know their location. If you tell me where they are, then the penalties that are on you might be lifted, or at least made lighter."

Larka glared at him. "As if I would give you the location of people who didn't even do anything wrong, much less my friends!"

"I expected no less." The official pulled out a cloth and swiftly gagged Larka. "No matter. I assume they are nearby anyway-your lot seems to care about staying together. Wherever you are, they will be close by." Then he left, calling to the other two men, "Make sure nobody approaches! If you see anyone, call for us. We'll come instantly."

"Yes sir!"

In any other case Larka would have felt awful being separated from her companions, but it was better this way. They were far out of the official's reach-her presence had made them confused. Still, she couldn't help but despair. She knew that nobody could save her in just an hour's time.

Minutes dragged by, and she could think of nothing. With no way to keep track of time, she felt very nervous, afraid that at any minute the officials would be back.

Then she heard something. Any normal human would have not been aware of the footsteps, for they were very quiet, but she managed to hear someone approaching.

Nothing happened for a few minutes, until the other two officials began conversing with each other, and their attention to her was distracted. She heard a small noise that sounded like steel, and then the ropes binding her fell away. She would have collapsed, but the person caught her, swiftly pulling her into the woods.

She was glad that she was unable to speak, or else she might have given away the escape right then. As it was, she stared at Zack, completely shocked.

"Stay still," he whispered. She obeyed, and felt the other bonds fall away from her arms and legs.

"What…?"

"I'll explain later." She was still weak from her blood circulation being cut off, so Zack lifted her easily. He managed to walk a few yards before hearing one of the officials yell, "She's escaped!"

"Enough stealth," Zack muttered. He ran towards the mountains, emerging from the forest. Larka managed to glance back, and was relieved to see that there were no officials following.

In a few minutes, they came across a small cave at the base of the mountains. Zack went into it, setting Larka down by the wall. There was about enough room to have three people inside it, although only one at a time could get through the tunnel.

"We'll have to stay here until they give up searching," Zack told her.

"Yeah, it isn't as though they will stop quickly," she said, rubbing her wrists to get her circulation flowing. "Did you just get here?"

"Yes, this morning. I was trying to find all of you, but I happened to see a group of officials with you. So I followed at a distance."

"Thanks a lot for helping."

"It was not a problem," he said. Larka noticed that he seemed to be looking somewhat awkward, but did not think on it long as he asked, "So where are the others?"

Larka quickly outlined what had happened ever since they saved Hope.

"What happened to you though?" she inquired.

"I tried to absorb too much electricity. When I expelled all of it, I also had to release a lot of my own. Normally, if I had stopped to rest then, I would have recovered much more quickly. But I made myself continue on, which resulted in having to shut down for quite some time to recover."

"I see." Larka's circulation felt fine now, so she leaned against the back of the cave to relax. "Well, they were all worried about you."

"…So where do you suggest we begin looking?" Zack said, unsure on how to respond to her comment.

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should go to the lake shore and wait for them to come in?"

"We have no other leads," Zack agreed, walking through the tunnel. Larka followed him outside.

"No signs of the officials… well, that's a good thing," she stated. "Which route should we take is the question… the one opposite of the forest seems best. I overheard the officials saying they were going to search the town, so that's off-limits."

"Then we'll circle around it," Zack decided.

It was not a difficult journey, although they were constantly on the alert. They ran into a conflict when they were almost at the lake shore.

They were silently walking to their destination when the ground suddenly began to shake.

"Whoa! What's going on?" Larka exclaimed, grabbing onto Zack's shoulder for support.

Zack had no chance to answer. A few seconds later, the earth collapsed, and they fell through. Almost instantly, the earth resealed itself, looking completely innocent.

And a few minutes later, a Blue Eyes White Dragon flow over the spot. It gave the area a careless glance, and when it saw that nobody was there, it flew on in search of the two missing group members.

…

Larka came to slowly, feeling someone shaking her shoulder. She carefully opened her eyes, and sat up instantly.

"Where are we?" she gasped.

She and Zack were on a gigantic book. They were barely big enough to be a letter in it. Larka ran her eyes over a lowercase l and came to the conclusion that if she lay down on it, she would barely be its size. If someone was reading the book right side up, she and Zack would have been on the right side. On the left side was a picture of several buildings. They looked like something a kid would enjoy, yet there was a creepy side to them as well.

Even the air wasn't the same. All sorts of colors were floating around. The area itself alternated, showing all the colors of the rainbow and more. One minute a pink strand would float by, and change just as quickly to blue.

"The last thing I can remember is falling… is this some sort of trap?" Zack wondered.

Larka shivered at the thought of the book closing on top of them. "It's such a strange place… it looks cheerful and happy, yet I feel as if something menacing is here."

She suddenly heard someone snickering. On the opposite page, a spot on the ground had begun to glow. A small green alligator, carrying a tiny axe, leapt from the spot, giggling wickedly.

From just beside him another spot began to glow, and a small girl came forth. She looked to be about eight or nine. She wore a delicate pink dress, white tights, and white gloves that came up to her elbows. Her dress had a white lace collar, and she had small, shiny, pretty black shoes. Her long, light-brown hair was done back in two pigtails, which fell to her shoulders. Her mischievous light-green eyes seemed innocent, but had a trickster's look.

"Someone finally came! So, do you like decor?"

"Who are you?" Larka asked.

"I'm called Cally, and he's a Toon Alligator called Ally!" she said with a hint of pride.

"But you're so young! How can you be in Teknisk Wereld?" Larka inquired.

"To be exact, I'm eight!" Cally told her. "Well, it happened a while back. My dad was a violent man who often drank. One night he got too carried away, and slammed my mother against the floor. Her spine was broken, and she died shortly afterwards. I was very frightened, and ran upstairs to my mom's room, where I locked myself in. I noticed an Envoyant Machine, and tried it on. I had heard my mom talk about Teknisk Wereld, how it can be an escape from reality, so I wanted to test it."

"I arrived inside the world with my deck-yeah, I had a deck back then. I wandered around until I ran into another person. He asked if I disliked my life, and I said yes. So he took a card from my deck, and said he could make it better. I was absorbed into the card's power-this area we are in now. And that man was right! I enjoy my life much more like this! Here I actually have a friend!" She indicated to Ally, who was jumping around. "And several others can come when I like. But I've lived alone too long-I need more people to talk to. That's why I took up that woman's offer."

"A woman?" Larka asked.

"Yep! She called herself Malady."

"Just what we need," Larka muttered.

"She knows I just live down here, without any other companions. So she offered to make me a deal. As long as I could defeat certain people in duels, then they would be trapped here forever, and I'd never get bored!"

"I'm not sure I want to know where this is headed," Larka said.

"So here we will duel! If you win, this book is to be sealed forever, and can never be reopened. I will be of no more trouble. Oh, and you will be transported back to the surface. But if I win, you will be transformed into teddy bears, for me to play with! Of course your soul will remain activate, so basically you'll be my stuffed animal for all eternity!" She smiled. "Shall we begin?"

"What. The. HECK!" Larka shouted in disbelief.

Zack looked around the area. "As much as I hate the idea of that happening, I see no other choice but to duel. We cannot leave until we do so, anyway."

"But I don't stand a chance!" Larka protested. "Even with Malon, I'm not a very good duelist yet! And since Malon isn't here…"

"I see. In that case, I'll accept your challenge," Zack told Cally, taking out his Duel Disk.

"Ok! Let's begin!"

Zack: 8000

Cally: 8000

"You can go first!" Cally announced.

"If you insist. I summon Magical Reflector Reflect Bounder, and end my turn."

"Not a bad first monster," Cally said. "I'm well aware that I will take Life Point damage if I try to attack it, so let's get a little more creative! I play Toon World!"

"Toon World?"

"Yep! I have to pay 1000 Life Points when I first play it, so I do so!"

Zack: 8000

Cally: 7000

"Now I summon Toon Gemini Elf! (1900/900)"

"It's similar to the real Gemini Elf, but it looks so… cartoonish!" Larka said.

"That's why they're called Toons, silly! Normally my Toon monsters have to wait a turn to attack, but Ally negates that bad side effect. Also, as long as I have Toon World on my side of the field, my Toons can attack directly! Toon Gemini Elf, direct assault!"

They vanished in a cloud of smoke and reappeared behind Zack. The twins dealt two hard blows to him before reappearing on Cally's field.

Zack: 6100

Cally: 7000

"Also, when they do damage to your Life Points, you lose one random card from your hand!"

"Ok then…" He shuffled his hand around before choosing one. "My Needle Bunker is gone. (1700/1700)"

"To end my turn, I lay one card down!"

"Hm… I sacrifice my Reflect Bounder to summon Machine King! (2200/2000) Machine King's attack rises by 100 for each Machine Sub-Type on my field, including himself! (2300/2000) Machine King attacks your Toon Gemini Elf!"

"I counter with Toon Defense! This is a permanent trap that only affects level four or lower Toons. When your monster tries to attack one, I can choose to take the damage directly!"

Zack: 6100

Cally: 4700

"Hm… I lay one card down, and end."

"My next card is Toon Index! I search my deck for one card with Toon in its name and add it to my hand! Hang on, let me shuffle… there! Now I play Cost Down! By discarding Toon Demon from my hand (2500/1200) all of the monsters in my hand levels' go down by two! So I only need to sacrifice my Toon Gemini Elf to summon Blue Eyes Toon Dragon!"

"Draken would be insulted," Larka muttered as the devilish Blue Eyes Toon Dragon popped out of Toon World.

"I have to pay 500 Life Points to attack with him, but it's worth it! Blue Eyes Toon Dragon, attack directly!"

The Dragon flew up, and blasted Zack with the same lighting regular Blue Eyes used.

Zack: 3100

Cally: 4200

"I can't afford to be attacked by that thing again… I lay another card down."

"Alright! I summon Toon Goblin Strike Team! (2300/0)"

"I can't allow that to happen! I activate Tidal Wave, destroying all of our monsters!"

"No fair!" Cally pouted. "Oh well. I'll just lay one card down and end my turn."

"I summon Bowgunian. (1300/1000) It attacks you!"

"Alright, I'll let you get that hit in."

Zack: 3100

Cally: 2900

"It's my turn again… perfect! I summon Toon Automaton! (900/1400) He attacks directly!"

"This has got to be the most embarrassing way to lose," Zack muttered after the Automaton returned to her side of the field. "Getting beaten by an eight year old with a bunch of cartoons…"

Zack: 2200

Cally: 2900

"I also get to draw a card when he inflicts damage to you! Yay, a good one! I end my turn."

"On my standby phase, Bowgunian's effect activates. You lose 600 Life Points."

Zack: 2200

Cally: 2300

"Now I play Raise Dead on Machine King! (2400/2000) Machine King attacks!"

"I activate Attack Nullification! Now my Life Points and Automaton are saved."

"I switch Bowgunian to defense before ending."

"This is just perfect! I sacrifice my Automaton for Toon Black Magician Girl! (2000/1700)"

"Mana would be freaked out," Larka thought out loud as she saw the cute Magician Girl soar out.

"Go Toon Black Magician Girl! Direct attack!"

The wave of black magic was no less painful than a normal Black Magician Girl's.

Zack: 200

Cally: 2300

"I also lay one card down. Your move!"

Once again, Bowgunian shot her with his arrow.

Zack: 200

Cally: 1700

Zack looked at his next card. "Sacrifices must be made. I play Tempest, destroying my own Time Machine."

"My Toon World! When it's destroyed, so are all of the Toons on my field! But that's ok. I'll just chain Emissary of Harmony to halt all of your attacks."

"At least I can't be attacked directly anymore… I end my turn by laying one monster down."

"I play Jar of Greed. Shoot! This won't help me now. I was hoping for a Toon Cannon Soldier; I would have won. Oh well… I lay one monster in defense mode, a card down, and end my turn."

"Bowgunian will keep inflicting damage upon you."

Zack: 200

Cally: 1100

"I summon Drillago, and then attack with Machine King!"

"I activate another Emissary of Harmony. You attacked Toon Mermaid. (1400/1500)"

"I'm done."

"I lay another card down, and end!"

Zack: 200

Cally: 500

"This is too risky to continue. I summon Cannon Soldier, and sacrifice Bowgunian to use its effect! You lose 500 Life Points."

Zack: 200

Cally: 0

"Aw man!" Cally said. "I wanted some new friends! But you probably would have been pretty boring anyway. Ok, you can go now."

Zack and Larka felt themselves being surrounded by all sorts of colors. Cally waved to them.

"Good bye! Thanks for providing some entertainment! Maybe I'll find some other friends someday, even though this book is to become sealed!"

Then they knew no more.

…

"Are we back?" Larka asked. Zack had been shaking her awake again.

"Yes. She kept to her word."

"Let's put it this way… I'm REALLY glad you won that duel," Larka told him.

"As am I. We don't know how long that detour took us, so we'd best get to the lake shore as soon as possible."

To be continued…


	18. A Night of Horror

Sorry about that joke. But hey, it's April Fool's Day-how could I resist? Now I'll finally update!

Whispering Hope: No, it wasn't destroyed. It was just sealed. Basically, nobody can get in it, and nobody can get out of it now.

John: Yes, that one was short. Freaky? Why thank you-that was the point. _ And you should have seen that one coming!

TDH: Thanks for the compliment. 

LunaticChaos: Thank my friend. He told me to have someone use Toon monsters, since they are underrated. It turned out pretty good, in my opinion.

=P: Good job! You're the first person to notice that I changed Gaston's ability. Yes, I did change it-I thought it just cost way too much the other way. So it's just 1000 Life Points per direct attack, one monster per turn. Falcon Knight and Surprising Matasa do not require extra pay-quite an evil ability in some cases. I am revising chapter twelve to fit this new cost. I'm glad someone finally noticed though! And geez, that is one evil threat. o_o; I guess I have no choice-I must keep updating! _ I'm glad someone got caught by the joke, but please, don't kill me with a cheese grater. _

***Chapter 18: A Night of Horror***

Fell came to slowly, trying to remember what happened. The memory of the harsh waters was enough to make him open his eyes.

According to the sun, it was around noon. He was lying on the shore, the lake behind him. How he had managed to get all the way here was beyond him.

After viewing the scenery, he got up, still searching for Larka, Daine, and Malon. The shore was deserted though, except for himself.

Once that was confirmed, he began to walk towards the town. Information was best gathered in populated areas, after all.

*****

At about the same time, Daine was awakened by Malon, who was desperately barking and licking his face. Once he stood, the puppy leapt back, yipping happily.

They were on a small, bare island. There were no plants; the only thing besides rock was the two Soul Monsters.

"Did the other two make it?" he asked Malon.

Malon whined.

"We must have been separated…" He looked around. "But the main problem is how we are going to get off of this place."

Malon whined again.

After a few minutes of silence, they heard a roar. They looked up, and saw a Blue Eyes White Dragon flying towards them.

Malon growled at it as it landed beside them. Daine looked it over cautiously.

The Blue Eyes then laid its tail beside them, crouching down.

"Do you… want us to board you?" Daine asked.

The Blue Eyes hissed.  
They jumped on it, and the dragon soared off, looking for its commander.

*****

"I can't stand this waiting!" Rue growled. "Are we almost to the lake shore?"

"Calm down. We'll get there soon enough," Will replied.

Once again, they were on the Skull Blood Pirate Ship, sailing for the place where they had come from. Darche had already sent out his three Blue Eyes to search for the missing companions, but so far, none of them had returned.

"Larka, Fell, Daine, and Malon should obviously be our top priority, but what are we going to do afterwards?" Hope inquired. "We barely managed to get away from the officials the first time… so how are we going to fight them?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Gaston assured. "Right now, let's concentrate on our most important task."

A snarl made everyone turn their attention to the Blue Eyes that was soaring towards them.

"Hey! Find anything?" Darche asked.

The Blue Eyes was too big to land on the ship, but it managed to connect its tail to the deck. Malon leapt down instantly, yelping in excitement. Daine calmly came down after him.

"Good going!" Darche complimented the dragon. "Will you please keep searching, or do you want to stop now?"

The Blue Eyes hissed gently before flying off to find the other two who were missing.

Hope had managed to get her hands on Malon, and was looking all over him. "No injuries, it appears… Daine, what happened?"

"Apparently, we got separated by the fierce waters. I was gripping onto Malon, so that's the only reason we managed to stay together. I have no idea where our masters are."

Malon whined at that.

"At least you two are safe. Who knows? Maybe the Blue Eyes will have some more luck."

"Where are we going right now? Back to the lake shore?" Daine asked.

"Yeah. We thought that would be the best area to look in right now."

*****

It was growing dark when Larka and Zack made it to the lake shore. 

"Nobody is here yet… oh well. I guess we should just wait," Larka suggested.

"Not on the shore; we're too easily seen. Let's get under the trees nearby the lake. That way, we can wait for them to come, but we won't be as obvious to others."

"I wasn't thinking," Larka confessed as they approached the edge of the forest. "I'm just worried about them… especially Malon. He's only a puppy, after all."

"They'll come. We just have to be patient for it," Zack responded.

Larka sat down, leaning against a tree. "Yeah…"

"You can rest, if you want to. I'll watch for them," Zack offered.

"That's ok. I won't be able to fall asleep anyway."

"If that's what you want."

*****

The minute Fell stepped into town, he knew that there was something wrong. There were more officials around then usual. Not too many to be very suspicious, but more than usual. They were questioning random people, trying to learn facts from them.

Fell immediately hid behind a building, and using his keen hearing, listened to the closest inquiries.

"I just need to know if you have seen a girl with long hair and yellow eyes. You would recognize her instantly."

"No, nothing like that!"

"Very well. Thank you for your assistance."

_So Larka's nearby…_ Fell thought. _Apparently not here though. There's no point in staying._

He slipped out of town again, trying to decide where to go next.

"Hey, you! Over there!"

He hadn't gone unnoticed. A group of officials had seen his leave and followed.

"Halt! We need to ask you something!"

_I don't have time to waste on them. _

Fell was looking around to find which direction would be best to go, when he felt a sharp pain throughout his whole body.

_What?!_

He looked at the night sky, knowing what he would see.

The full moon.

_That's right…_

FLASHBACK

_"Malon and I have already taken care of it. As long as we are nearby you and your sister on the designed day, it will not occur."_

END FLASHBACK

_But they aren't nearby anymore. So there's nothing to prevent… _Another wave of pain caused him to snarl out loud.

"I knew it! It's one of them!" one of the officials yelled. "Get him!"

Fell wasn't concerned with that though. His fingernails were slowly growing longer, sharper. His teeth, which were more like fangs to begin with, were now becoming sharp as daggers. He had been strong and fast before, but now he felt overwhelming power. His eyes flickered shut, and when they opened again, they were no longer yellow, but red.

"Um… boss? Something isn't right," one of the officials warned.

"Aw shut up! He can't hope to get past all of us!" the leader said arrogantly. The thirty or so officials in his command, all armed, had to agree with that.

Then they saw his red eyes staring hungrily, and fear raced through them. Paralyzed with fright, they stood no chance when Fell lunged. His fingernails, much more like claws now, cut through them all. Blood flew everywhere as their bodies were sliced through, pieces of flesh going everywhere.

Three of the officials, near the back of the group, witnessed the massacre. Two of them were petrified with terror, but the third got over his shock. He fired his gun at Fell. 

Not expecting an attack, Fell growled as the bullet grazed his side.

The official tried to aim again, but never had the chance to shoot. He didn't even know what killed him, as Fell had moved far too quickly for him to see. The other two alive met the same fate.

Fell smirked at the bloody pieces from the former officials.

_It isn't enough… it never will be enough. I must kill more... and never stop until all are dead!_

He turned to the town, seeing all of the people there.

And his claws, already coated with red, desired to be stained again.

*****

Larka screamed in pain as she felt the agony tear through her again. She felt her body change, reacting to the full moon.

"Larka! What's the matter?" Zack was trying to get her to answer him, with no success. It had been a sudden thing. One minute, there had been just silence, waiting for the ship to come. The next, Larka was crying in anguish.

Then she opened her eyes. Not much surprised him these days, but the red eyes that greeted him were certainly startling.

Larka snarled, and then leapt at Zack. Completely unprepared, he was thrown aside, crashing to the ground. Larka then slashed at him. If he had been a normal human, he would have been cut to pieces immediately. As it was, his metal body was practically immune to it.

Before she could attack again, Zack took action. He slammed his right hand into her stomach, throwing her off. She landed in a cat-like manner before springing at him again. He managed to get out of the way though.

_What is going on? What happened to her? I can't attack... if I try to, I might kill her! I can't control my power well enough to guarantee safety!_

He blocked another kick. Larka jumped back. Then she growled softly, and lunged. He had thought she was fast before, but that was nothing compared to this. He couldn't even see her now. She slammed into him, connecting several times with her fists to his chest, throwing him off the hill. He flew off and crashed onto the ground below.

Larka snarled in disgust.

_Not even alive… a machine. As nice as it would be to cut him into slivers of metal, it just doesn't feel as well as spilling someone else's blood… slicing their flesh…_

She ran off, leaving the unconscious cyborg where he lay.

*****

The screams of another civilian filled the area as Fell cut him apart. His Soul Monster, a Prevent Rat, squeaked in terror as it met the same fate. Although it had a thick hide of hair that could soften nearly any attack, Fell's fingernails were just too sharp to stop. Even the Iron Golem that was unfortunate enough to be in his way was cut to pieces. The metal creature, famous for its fabulous endurance, stood no chance. The man who had it as his Soul Monster was killed after his machine was finished.

It was lucky that it was night time, and that most people were off. Those who were not slain instantly teleported away, not even staying to see who was slaying their friends.

Fell looked around the area. Seeing nobody else in the deserted town, he ran outside, towards the mountains.

*****

Larka had run through the forest. She could smell the death that came from the town, and knew that there was no point in going there. 

But there were others who were in the woods. She knew it.

And there they were. A small group of officials, about twenty. Not nearly enough to satisfy her crave for killing, but it would be a nice place to start.

The screams of the officials echoed through the area. A minute later and Larka was moving on, leaving the sliced-up corpses.

Then the Top Employee shakily climbed down from the tree he had hidden in. His light brown eyes, normally holding vicious cunning, were now wide with terror.

*****

"Hey, we're here!" Miles called.

"At last!" Rue said happily as the ship drew closer to the shore. "I thought I was going to die of boredom!"

"I thought I was going to die of seasickness," Gen muttered. He had been somewhat pale the entire trip.

Malon had jumped up on the side of the ship to get a good view of the shore. His fur suddenly stood up, and he barked fiercely.

"What's the matter?" Hope asked him.

Daine reared up, putting his paws on the side of the ship. He viewed the shore. "Someone's over there."

"What?" She then saw what he was referring to. "Not moving… I'll look. You guys wait here." She leapt over the side of the ship, landing in the shallows. She then walked over to the person Malon and Daine had seen. Gaston followed her.

As she approached, she suddenly realized who she was seeing. "Zack! What the…" She ran to his side and knelt, examining him. "He looks ok… what happened though?"

"Can you bring him around, or should we get another bucket of water?" Gaston suggested.

"Have you lost your mind? His body is like a machine! For all we know, he might get fried with his own electricity!"

"Oh yeah… it was just an idea."

"A bad one at that," she pointed out.

"I won't deny it."

They quit talking as Zack opened his eyes.

"Zack! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine…" He stood up slowly. "I was just taken by surprise, that's all…"

By this time, everyone else had abandoned the ship, and was listening to the conversation.

"What happened to you?" Mana asked.

"I was attacked… something happened to Larka. She became vicious…"

"Larka was here?" Hope inquired.

"Yes. When I came to this world, I found her. But when it was night, she attacked me…"

"But Larka's so gentle! Why would she do that?" Hope wondered.

Malon yelped. Daine looked at the sky and growled.

"It's a full moon… that explains."

"What is it?" Brandi inquired.

"We can explain later. Right now, we only have time to explain what you need to know. Our masters are not the same. They do not even know who they are anymore. They will continue to fight, and kill, until the night is over. Once it is morning, they will become normal again."

"You said they will keep on killing though! We can't just stand aside and let that happen!" Draken protested.

"There is a way to halt the process early. If I can get close to Fell, I can stop him. Malon can also stop Larka."

"Really? That sounds almost like what Olympion does to help Max," Gaston commented.

"Maybe they are somewhat similar, but I can see many differences," Hope stated. "We can argue about that later though. We need to find those two first."

A roar caused her to pause in mid-thought. A Blue Eyes landed in front of Darche. Its leg had a gash on it.

"What happened to you?" Darche asked it.

The dragon replied with what sounded like a cross between a hiss and a whine. Everyone winced at the sound.

"Judging by his description, Fell attacked him," Darche told the group. "The dragon was confused about whether to fight or not, since I said to bring them back safely, so he came here to report."

"Can he take us to Fell?" Will asked.

The dragon hissed softly.

"Yes, he can lead the way. We're lucky that wound isn't too deep," Draken said.

"Then let's hurry," Miles suggested. "I don't want to be looking over my shoulder the entire night for two psychos."

"True that," Neo replied as they followed the dragon.

*****

Larka's ears twitched as she heard an approaching group of people. 

She was leaving the forest, hoping to find some more creatures to slaughter. And she had already found a crowd.

She wasted no time in running towards them, teeth bared.

*****

"What if he's already gone?" Gen inquired as they followed the Blue Eyes.

"Let's think about that when it actually happens," Mana recommended.

Malon had been quiet up to this point, a rare thing to happen. But now he perked up, sniffing the air, and giving a loud bark.

"What is it?" Daine asked.

Malon responded with a snarl, running ahead, to the forest. A figure darted out, grabbing the puppy around the throat.

"It's Larka!" Hope realized. But what startled her more was the black aura floating around Larka. It was like the one she had seen on Ender, but that one had spoken of anger and hatred. This aura seemed more… happy. Joyful to be killing, just the delight of slaughtering. She wanted to tear her eyes away from it, but knew that she would still feel the powers of it anyway.

Draken reached for his sword as the others braced themselves.

"Don't worry," Daine assured. "Malon will take care of it."

They turned back in time to see Malon begin to glow with a soft, white light. It spread over Larka, consuming her. Her eyes lost their red color, her teeth became duller, and her fingernails lost their wicked sharpness. She fell to her knees, dropping Malon to the ground as she clenched her hand over her heart.

The others advanced cautiously. 

"Are you alright?" Hope asked.

"…Physically, yes… but just look at what I have done!" She showed them her hands, soaked with blood. "I attacked one of my own friends! And those officials… they didn't even know what hit them. I killed them all… they didn't stand a chance…"

"Look on the bright side," Rue said. "They were just officials."

Hope gave him a look that clearly told him to shut up. "It wasn't your fault. Try to calm down. We need to find your brother."

"He isn't with you?" 

"No. He jumped overboard to try and help you. Daine and Malon followed, but we found them."

"I see…" She wiped the blood onto the grass. "Then I'll mourn later…"

*****

"Oh geez…" Rue gave the sight a look of disgust. "Looks like Fell got here first."

They were traveling through the town. Blood and other gristly objects stained the streets.

"And they were all innocents…" Larka whispered, hugging Malon to her chest. Although her grip was tight, the puppy wasn't complaining about the security she provided.

"Not all of them." Draken pointed at a piece of black cloth. "There go some of the officials we would have had to deal with."

Hope was sickened by the sight. "Let's leave quickly…"

"You took the words out of my mouth," Miles informed her. 

*****

They followed the dragon towards the mountains, when it suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Darche asked it.

The dragon moaned.

"It's his leg," Draken explained. "He needs rest. Ok, go ahead and fly off-we can find our way from here. Thanks."

The Blue Eyes hissed, and then flew away, towards the mountains.

"So how much farther?" Gaston inquired.

"Not much at all," Draken answered. "A few minutes, and we'll be at the spot where he was attacked."

Rue was feeling quite uneasy about this whole thing. He kept running his fingers over his Duel Disk, wishing that he could have his battle axe with him. Trying to shake off his nervousness, he looked over at the trees nearby.

It was only a few seconds, but it seemed to take forever. Rue lunged, trying to get in front of Brandi in time.

_I'll never make it!_

That was his only thought, yet he had to try anyway.

Fell had leapt from his spot in the trees, darting towards Brandi, in an attempt to kill her, since she was at the back of the group. He lifted his clawed hand, and brought it down…

…To go through Rue's heart, right through his body.

Everyone turned to see Fell there, his hand going through Rue's body, before he extracted it. Rue collapsed, coughing up blood weakly. 

Before they could get over their shock, Fell was attacking again. Hope was dimly aware of the black aura that surrounded him that was identical to Larka's. This time though, Daine ran over and lunged at his master. They hit the ground, Daine pressing down on his shoulders with his paws. 

A black glow dispelled the aura, and Fell ceased his struggles. Daine leapt off, and Fell got up to view what he had done.

Ruecian was kneeling beside Rue, clearly worried. Everyone else was giving Mana some space to work in. She was the one who knew most about healing in their group, besides Claire.

Mana took Rue's arm and checked his pulse, and then she looked up grimly. "I'm sorry… but I can't heal this. Nothing can. He's… already gone…"

"That can't be!" Hope felt his neck, and shook her head. "No!"

"Damn… he's too bold… too reckless… maybe that's why I thought of him as my idol," Draken murmured.

Larka was trying to hold back tears, but failing. She looked over at Fell, to see his reaction to what he did.

She was shocked to see that his face was as emotionless as ever. He examined his bloody hands, and looked back over at Rue without even one trace of sadness.

"Why?!"

Everyone turned their attention to Larka. Even she was surprised at her outburst, but now that she had started, she couldn't stop.

"Why do you feel no guilt?! Why don't you show regret?! Even Zack feels sad about this loss-his eyes say that! But you, the executioner, don't even seem to mind! How can you be so cold when before you knew what sorrow was?! How?!"

Fell did not even flinch at the verbal assault. "We have two paths to choose from; one of pain and one of nothing. The painful one comes from friends. You feel happiness, but you also feel as though your heart is torn apart when they leave. I've had enough pain already… I took the road where, with no allies, comes no sorrow. I feel no regret about what I did-and nobody can force me to."

Draken glared at him, eyes full of hatred. "You're just envious that you don't know what happiness is! You could have chosen to become friends, and you know it!"

"Maybe if things had gone differently… but I did not get the luxury of choosing my own life. Another did it for me… one called Viken." He turned away. "Disgusted at my sight? Anyone would be. If you desire to mourn alone, I shall take no part. I will leave, if you wish."

"Then go!" Draken snarled. "Nobody cares about a cowardly bastard like you, because that's just what you are-a coward! One who chooses to hide from the world just to avoid being hurt, like a puppy that's been kicked too many times!"

Fell eyed him. "Words are not physical-they cannot wound anything but pride. But I have no pride to begin with, so you waste your time." He calmly walked away, heading to the forest. Daine followed him.

Zack shook his head. "There are too many ways to look at life. There can be no right or wrong way of living it, although many times I think otherwise."

Draken was shaking with anger and sadness. "How will we tell Claire?"  
Hope suddenly gasped. A black aura was beginning to surround Rue, but yet again, nobody seemed to see it.

"Freeze!"

Everyone looked up to see several officials, all with guns. The barrels were pointed at the group members, including Fell, who hadn't made it to the forest yet.

"I can't believe it!" One of the officials stepped forward, obviously the leader. He had short, blond hair and brown eyes to accompany his suit. "You slaughter this many people after all of the other crimes you have committed? You cretins!"

"That CANNOT be a Commander of Heaven," Will muttered. "He acts too stupid."

"All of you, surrender! Or we will fire!"

"Well, he has us there," Miles said. "We can't move faster than a gun."

"Damn right you can't! Now, unless you want to die, surrender!"

Then, to everyone's surprise, Rue leapt up and held out his hand. Darkness came out from it, slashing apart the officials. They screamed as their bodies were pierced by the black energy, collapsing. The only one who managed to avoid it was the leader. He had brought up an Attack Nullification in time.

"What the…?!" The official was completely shocked.

"Rue…?" Larka asked.

Rue smirked, opening his eyes. Hope immediately recognized those completely red, horrifying eyes.

"Demon Rue!"

"Correct." He smirked. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"But how? Rue's heart was torn through… you shouldn't be able to be here…"

"You would be surprised of what darkness can do. My powers are not to be taken lightly; I simply healed the wounds." He looked over at the official. "Once this fool is dealt with, I will have to leave though. I was banned from using much of my power, and even doing that small attack is taxing."

"So you want to try and kill me?!" the official shouted. "Fine! We'll duel! And the loser will die!"

Demon Rue laughed at that. "You? Defeat me in a duel? Very well… I could use some amusement." He took Rue's deck out of his Duel Disk and slipped in his own.

The official's Soul Monster had come out by now. It was a grizzly bear, a very big one. She stood about seven feet tall on her rear legs.

"Alright, let's begin! I'm Guy, and that's Wanda!"

"Guy? What kind of a name is that supposed to be?" Miles joked.

"Oh shut up!"

Guy: 8000

Demon Rue: 8000

"I'll go first!" Guy announced. "Let's start off this match with a little gambling! I play Ante Battle!"

"I have not heard of that card," Demon Rue told him.

"We each pick a card in our hand. The person with the higher level monster gets to keep their card. The loser is forced to discard their card to the Cemetery, and lose 1000 Life Points! So what do you choose?"

"What about magic and trap cards?"

"They automatically have a level of zero."

"In that case… I choose Mad Dog of Darkness. (1900/1400) He's a level four monster."

"Well, I picked Koitsu, or 'This Guy'! (200/100) He's a level ten monster, so you lose the Ante Battle!"

Demon Rue's eye twitched. "A two hundred attacker… one hundred defender… is level TEN?"

"You'll see why soon enough! I lay one monster in defense mode, and one card down. It's your turn!"

Guy: 8000

Demon Rue: 7000

"An early lead, but you won't hold it for long. I summon Blood Vors (1900/1200) and attack your monster."

"I activate Attack Nullification, blocking your attack!"

"I have nothing more to do then, besides laying three cards down."

"On my turn, I flip over X-E-N-O! (200/100) When flipped over, I get to take control of one of your monsters. So your Blood Vors is now mine!"

"No counter to that…"

"I sacrifice your Blood Vors to summon Aitsu, or 'This Guy'! (100/100) Then I end by laying another card down."

"It's even weaker! In fact, as ridiculous as this is, I have the perfect move. I summon Kuribo! (300/200)"

"…You've got to be kidding."

"No joke. Kuribo, attack his X-E-N-O!"

Guy: 7900

Demon Rue: 7000

"Well, as sad as that is, it gives me an advantage, since Wanda's Deck Master ability is activated. I search my deck for a water Main-Type with 1500 or less attack and special summon it to my field. So I special summon Koitsu! (200/100)"

"It's just as pathetic…"

"Not quite. Is it my turn? In that case, I activate Koitsu's Union ability! By attaching himself to Aitsu, my monster's attack goes up by 3000! (3100/100)"

"…That has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen, except for Skull Servant."

"It won't seem so stupid once it destroys you! Aitsu, obliterate that Kuribo!"

"I activate Multiply. By sacrificing my Kuribo, I get five Kuribo tokens, in defense mode. (300/200)"

"Fool! When Aitsu is equipped with Koitsu, he also gains a trample ability!"

"…Damn it. Well, I might as well take you down with me. I activate Destruction Ring, destroying your monster."

Guy: 4800

Demon Rue: 3900

"Rats! Oh well. If Aitsu is to be destroyed, I actually lose Koitsu instead. No problem though. I'll just lay one card down…"

"Activate Cyclone."

"…So much for Emissary of Harmony… I end."

Demon Rue shook his head at his draw. "This is the lamest duel I have ever fought. I switch all of my Kuribo tokens to attack mode, and they all attack."

Guy: 3400

Demon Rue: 3900

"Argh! I'm getting killed by little fuzz balls! I play Cross Soul! This allows me to sacrifice one of your monsters as my own! So I sacrifice your Kuribo token to summon Aitsu!"

"…You can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Kuribo tokens can't be sacrificed to summon, idiot."

"Oh no!"

"This is so dumb it isn't funny," Miles murmured.

"Don't make understatements," Will chastised him.

"I lay one card down, and then my Kuribo tokens attack."

Guy: 1900

Demon Rue: 3900

"When you draw, I active Lost Property."

"No! My Raise Dead! I pass…"

"And my Kuribo tokens attack…"

Guy: 400

Demon Rue: 3900

"Let it end, please!" Neo muttered.

"…I activate Ante Battle. I choose Koitsu again."

"I choose Skilled Black Magician. (1900/1700) He's only level four…"

"For crying out loud… I pass…"

Guy: 400

Demon Rue: 2900

"My Kuribo tokens end the duel."

Guy: 0

Demon Rue: 2900

"As pathetic as that was, you still lost more than your pride-you also lose your life." He lifted his hand, and blasted both Guy and Wanda with more black energy. They were slain instantly.

Demon Rue sighed. "Already, I'm exhausted. I will have to relinquish control over to my host. He will be weary as well, but he will live." He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, all traces of red were gone. If Ruecian hadn't caught him, Rue would have collapsed.

To be continued…


	19. A Virus Of Death

LunaticChaos: Glad you liked. ^_^

John: I know the duel was bad. Still funny though… _

=P: Don't worry, the officials aren't all that stupid. And I'm scared of you. _

Whispering Hope: Yep, Demon Rue rules!

Zander: So true, so true.

***Chapter 19: A Virus Of Death***

Rue tried to rise, but was too weak, so he remained on the ground.

"What… the hell… happened to me?"

"I think we'd like to know as well," Will stated. "We thought you were dead."

 "I did too…" Rue looked at his chest shakily. His shirt was still soaked with blood, but he felt no pain. "But I healed somehow…"

"It's that Demon," Hope inferred. "Rue, do you know anything about it?"

"Nothing…" he sighed. "I was never aware of it until when Claire was taken…"

"You've lost me," Miles commented.

"It might be better if we discussed it later," Brandi suggested. "We need to get out of here, quickly. Too many people have died here for us to just be ignored."

"Yeah. We want to know more about what happened to you," Darche informed Fell and Larka, "But later. Let's get out of here and wait until we get to the real world before talking."

"Maybe Claire will know something," Gaston agreed. "So let's hold off on it. Where should we go to?"

"The mountains?" Gen offered. "Last time we ran into some trouble, but it should be ok this time, right?"

"Probably," Will responded. "Alright, let's get there. Rue, can you walk?"

"Of course I can," Rue replied, standing, only to fall again.

Will shook his head. "Quit playing the tough guy. Ruecian, a little help please?"

Ruecian easily lifted him, and although Rue was disgusted at his own weakness, he felt relieved to not have to beg for help. He felt like he would faint any second from weariness.

*****

They had no problems reaching the mountains, but when they got there Brandi recalled something rather important.

"We're not going to be able to use Time Capsule to immediately get up there, since our Duel Disks are off limits."

"Shoot," Miles muttered. "You have a point. We'll have to climb."

"You're kidding, right?" Hope said. "These things are way too steep and tall!"

"We won't be going up this one," Will told her. "There are a few others that won't be as hard to climb as this one. We just need to find one."

"What about your friends?" Daine requested. "Can they transport us?"

"No chance," Darche disagreed. "Most of them are asleep now. I wouldn't be able to contact enough to carry us up."

They soon found a mountain that looked much easier to scale. In Hope's opinion, it still seemed a little too tall for her liking, but it was certainly better than the others they had seen.

"You sure you can manage this?" Gaston joked to Neo. "You don't seem like one who would be good at climbing."

"Shut up," Neo grumbled, walking towards the mountain. A few seconds later, he tripped and fell over a rock.

"Very convincing," Mana laughed as she passed the collapsed swordsman.

They found little difficulty in climbing up. It wasn't as steep as it looked, so it was more of a hike than a climb, although sometimes they were forced to scale rocky walls. Miles had the most trouble. He nearly fell several times, but Gen was always there to assist.

"I'm not good at physical activities," Miles told Hope when she asked.

"I noticed."

She had expected Zack to face difficulties, with a metal body like his, but to her surprise he easily kept up the pace. Rue was still assisted by Ruecian. Luckily, he had recovered enough to climb when necessary. Daine and Malon were unable to find a way to climb, so they returned to their Soul Cards while the humanoid Soul Monsters remained to assist their companions. Everyone else had no trouble; even Neo did fine. 

"We're almost to the top!" Will announced. He had been leading the way.

"Whew, about time!" Miles called back, panting as he hiked.

They finished scaling the cliff, climbing over onto a much more secure area.

Hope shivered, looking at the long drop. "I hope we can get down without trouble."

"Don't worry about it," Draken assured her. "The other side should be easy enough to deal with."

Suddenly, a huge explosion sounded. A stream of bright energy slammed into Fell. Taken completely by surprise, he was thrown over the edge they had just climbed, halting by painfully crashing into a big rock on the way down the mountain, instantly falling unconscious.

"An ambush!" Rue snarled. "We were too careless!"

"Yes, you were," an official said calmly. There were about thirty, being lead by a young blond man, with light green eyes. "We heard about the deaths that happened in the town, and seeing who did the crime, it's not too surprising."

"We didn't do anything wrong!" Miles snapped.

"Watch your tongue," the official advised. "You might notice that we completely outnumber you, and we have access to support cards. Your friend over there was done in by a Wave Motion Cannon. A charged Wave Motion Cannon, to be more specific. Very painful, and we have cards that are far worse. Even if you run, you'll only get caught at the peak."

"That makes no difference," Brandi declared, getting into a ready position. Zack's switchblade came out of his arm as he stepped up to assist.

"A girl like you will make no difference to us," the official smirked. "Neither will you, cyborg. We'll take you both out, one at a time." Then he slid a card into his Duel Disk.

Hope yelped as a rain drop landed on her arm. Unlike ordinary water, this drop stung her.

"Ow! What the hell is this supposed to be?!" Rue shouted. Apparently, some drops had landed on him too. Everyone was getting caught in the rainstorm, although the officials seemed unaffected by it.

Will winced at his hand, where the rain had landed on him. "Acid Rain… it's a magic card. Painful, but no long-lasting effects. Why use it?"

Hope got an uneasy feeling. "Didn't he say he'd take us out one at a time? Will, what does Acid Rain do?"

"In the game? It destroys all Machine Sub-Types… wait a minute… oh great," he muttered, looking at Zack.

The cyborg was faring far worse than the others. Electricity flew out of his body at various places, the metal rusting at several places. He was unable to stand, being in too much pain.

"One down, and it looks like only one more to go," the official said, looking at Brandi. She had not backed down.

She swiftly wiped away a rain drop that landed on her cheek, ignoring the pain. "All of you, get out of here! Get away from this rain storm!"

"But what about you?!" Hope protested.

"I'm the only one who can fight these guys!" she told them. "You'd just get in my way!"

"She has a point," Will realized. "Alright, let's get out of here. Maybe we can take care of whatever threat is supposed to be at the peak."

"But I can't leave!" Larka objected. "Fell's seriously hurt! And what about Zack?"

"We'll have to trust in Brandi," Rue informed her. "And if you had seen her fight like we had, you would have no doubts, believe me."

"If you say so…"

They ran up the path, leaving Brandi and Mana to face the officials. Brandi stepped up carefully, starting to close the distance between them.

"There's only two; go get them!" the official cried. The group brought up their guns, and fired.

Brandi easily dodged the shots, coming into range of the officials at the front. She punched one, breaking his nose. He fell instantly, blood flying everywhere to mix with the rain. Another was kicked in the stomach, collapsing painfully. A third received a punch to his mouth. Teeth flew out, accompanied by saliva and more blood.

Mana was firing black spheres of magic everywhere with her staff. She avoided the areas Brandi was fighting, trying to take out those to the side. Occasionally, she blasted a bullet out of mid-air, and then targeted the officials again.

_This is taking too long, _Brandi thought, dodging the attack of another official. _Zack's suffering too much, and this rain isn't exactly helping Mana or me either. I need to finish this quickly._

She tensed, jumping back, away from the group to ready herself. Then she lunged, moving at an impossible speed.

The lead official seemed ready though. He coolly slipped another card into his Duel Disk.

A huge downburst of wind slammed into Brandi. She was thrown onto the ground, gasping as her back was cut by several sharp rocks. 

"Itaqua's Gale," the official explained to her. "A trap card that normally switches all monster's positions on the field. Highly effective, wouldn't you say?"

The strain on her muscles was too much. She couldn't move, crying in pain.

"Brandi?!" Mana yelled. Distracted, she did not see the bullets until it was too late. She was hit in the side. Trying to ignore the searing pain, she crawled over to Brandi, thrusting her hand onto the girl's chest.

White light began to pour from her hand, entering Brandi. Her body lit up with the energy. The wounds on her back began to close, and her muscles started to heal. Mana gritted her teeth; not only were the bullets paining her, but healing was a very difficult task for her. Now she was not only blinking away rain, but also sweat. Nevertheless, she continued to fire black spheres at the officials, taking out several.

Brandi rose shakily, diving at the remaining officials. A bullet ripped by her leg, but she ignored the wound, slaying the others.

The lead official was about to place another card, but Brandi was already there, hitting him several times, too fast to counter. His corpse hit the ground.

Brandi managed to grasp the Acid Rain card and tore it out of the Duel Disk. The painful rain drops stopped coming down instantly. 

When seeing that the last official was dead, Mana collapsed, completely worn out. Brandi made her way to her Soul Monster painfully, only to fall when she was next to her.

*****

"I still don't like this," Larka commented as they ran up the mountain.

"I doubt any of us do," Draken replied. "But at least we can be of some help. Let's go take care of whatever's at the peak, and then we can go back!"

They sprinted the rest of the way, halting when they saw someone up ahead.

It only took Hope a second to recognize the woman. "Malady!"

"The one and only," Malady smirked. Streak was on her shoulder, glaring at the group. "It seems that you wish to pass through this area."

"What gave you that idea?" Rue said sarcastically.

"If you want to get by here, I will require a duel. You can try to get by without one, but without support cards, you will never make it."

"Fine then!" Hope activated her Duel Disk. "If it's a duel you want, I'll be your opponent!"

"Still mad at the unfairness of what I did to you?"

"Exactly!" she snarled.

"Fine then. I'll be glad to destroy you, once and for all. Of course the loser of this duel will die. The method will be… most painful."

Hope: 8000

Malady: 8000

"I'll begin this," Hope declared. "I summon Dark World Warrior Dark Sword. (1800/1500) I end my turn at that."

"A poor first move, at the best. I will first lay one monster in defense mode, and then play Black Snake Sickness."

"What does that do?"

"It's a permanent magic card. During my next standby phase, we each take 200 Life Point damage. On my next one, we take 400. Then 800. And it continues to double."

"But what's the point in that? You will be losing just as much as me."

"Ah, but I have mode methods to deal Life Point damage than you. I will activate another permanent magic called Torture Room of Nightmares. Each time you take a form of damage other than battle damage, you lose 300 additional Life Points. The only card this does not work on is another Torture Room of Nightmares."

"This will be painful," Hope muttered.

"Indeed. Now I lay one more card down, and then I end."

Hope winced at her hand. "I have nothing to stop the Black Snake Sickness… I'll summon Dark Hero: Zombire! (2100/500) He attacks your monster!"

"I activate Gravity Bind, halting your attack."

"I can do nothing else then…"

"I draw, while Black Snake Sickness and Torture Room of Nightmares activate."

Hope stifled a yell of pain when she felt something burn into her skin. She looked at her legs, and saw that, glowing through her jeans, was an outline of black snakes. They coiled around her legs, like grim tattoos, filling her whole body with pain that nearly brought tears.

Malady's legs were in the same condition, but she seemed to not be affected like Hope was.

"Ah, I forgot that you wouldn't be used to this," Malady smirked. "These are the side effects of Black Snake Sickness. Pleasant, isn't it?"

"Are you ok?" Gaston asked, eyes filled with worry.

"Yeah… I'll be able to hold out."

Hope: 7500

Malady: 7800

"Next, I flip summon my Balloon Lizard. (500/1900) When I flip summon a monster, Streak's Deck Master ability activates. You lose 1000 Life Points; actually, 1300 with Torture Room of Nightmares."

Hope: 6200

Malady: 7800

"Then I will lay two cards down, and another monster in defense mode. It's your turn."

Hope smiled at her next card. "I haven't gotten this guy in a while. I summon Severing Samurai. (500/800) He attacks your defense monster."

"Using something that weak to attack? What an idiotic move. You attacked my Death Koala. (1100/1800) When flipped, you lose 400 Life Points for each card in your hand."

"Not with my Severing Samurai! He destroys any face down monsters without flipping them. So my Life Points are safe."

"So you still have some tricks up your sleeve. Anything else?"

"No, I end."

"Black Snake Sickness activates again. This time, I chain it with Hellish Trapdoor Gun."

"What does that do?"

"It negates any kind of damage, besides battle, that would occur to me. Also, you lose the amount of Life Points I would have lost. And Torture Room of Nightmares makes it no easier for you."

The blast from the gun caught her in the chest, and did not help her deal with the pain Black Snake Sickness brought. The snake tattoos were continuing up her body. Now they had reached her chest.

Hope: 5100

Malady: 7800

"My Balloon Lizard also gets a counter. When it's destroyed, the amount of counters will be multiplied by 400, and that number will be dealt as damage to the person who destroyed it. And then I will activate my trap card, Babel Tower. Every time we play a magic card, it gets a magic counter. Once there are four magic counters, it is destroyed, and whoever played the last magic card is dealt 3000 damage."

"This won't be fun," Hope muttered.

"I play Jar of Greed, giving my Babel Tower one magic counter. Then I play Angel's Gift, discarding Judgment of Anubis and Ceasefire Treaty. That makes two magic counters. Then I activate Emissary of Peace. No monster about 1500 attack may attack. That makes three magic counters for Babel Tower."

"Just great," Hope moaned.

"I switch Balloon Lizard to defense mode. It's your turn now."

*****

Brandi opened her eyes slowly when she heard something approach. She forced herself to look up.

It was a huge bird. It was about the size of a large dog, with big white wings. Its body was red, as was its head, while it has many feathers surrounding where its neck came from its body. Its green eyes greedily observed the powerless girl as it took a few hops toward her.

Although Mana had healed her skin and muscles, she still felt the pain-that was something that could not be prevented by her Soul Monster alone. She was in too much agony to do anything but watch helplessly. She closed her eyes again, giving up. There was nothing she could do, and hoped that the death would be quick. 

She felt a sharp pain on her shoulder. The Queen Bird-for that was what Brandi realized it was-was examining her.

_No!_ she snarled at herself. _I can't give in that easily! I've been staying alive, protecting Max, too long to die now! It will all be for nothing if I cannot go on! All those years of pain and sorrow will be worthless!  I can't die; not yet!_

Blood trickled down her neck from the wound on her shoulder, hitting the ground. The Queen Bird's beak was sharper than she had expected.

How she did it was a mystery. Her condition should have affected her too severely to even rise, but she forced herself to. Ignoring the waves of pain she felt, she lashed out with her fist, striking the bird over the head. It squawked, awkwardly flying off as another blow caught it around the eye, probably in search of easier prey.

It was too much movement. Brandi collapsed again.

*****

Hope looked at her next draw, and sighed. "This is a difficult decision, but it's a necessary one. I play Cyclone, on Black Snake Sickness."

"What?! Hope, are you an idiot or something?!" Rue yelled.

"Black Snake Sickness was hurting more than Babel Tower would, ok? It'll help in the long run."

"I doubt that," Malady said calmly. "3300 Life Points is quite a blow to take."

The explosion ripped through the area. When the smoke cleared, they saw Hope rising, having been thrown away by the blast. 

Hope: 1800

Malady: 7800

"I'll be fine," she told Gaston before he asked. "All I need to do is destroy that Balloon Lizard somehow. First I play Calling Reinforcements, to grab Troop Commander. (1200/400) Then I summon him, and using his special effect, bring forth Initiate Troops! (1000/1000) I sacrifice Initiate Troops to kill your Balloon Lizard!"

"You lose 400 Life Points from Balloon Lizard, 700 with my Torture Room of Nightmares."

Hope: 1100

Malady: 7800

"It's a small price to pay to be able to hit you directly! I attack with Severing Samurai and Troop Commander! Then I lay one card down, to end my turn."

Hope: 1100

Malady: 6100

"To keep my Emissary of Peace up, I must pay 100 Life Points each turn, so I will do so."

Hope: 1100

Malady: 6000

"I summon Stealth Bird. (700/1700) It attacks your Severing Samurai."

"I'll activate my trap card, Reactive Armor! It destroys any attacking monster, so your Stealth Bird is now gone."

"A small set back… I play another Black Snake Sickness. How long will you last against this one? It's your turn."

Hope winced at the thought of the tattoos on her legs reactivating. "We'll see how long… I summon Chaos Rider, Gustav. (1400/1500) I also activate Cyclone on Gravity Bind! Another hard decision, but hopefully it's the right one. All three of my monsters that can will attack you! Then I end my turn by laying one card down."

Hope: 1100

Malady: 2900

Malady looked furious. "Black Snake Sickness does 200 damage to me and 500 to you."

The tattoos crept up both duelists' arms.

Hope: 600

Malady: 2700

"I play Black Hole. Now you cannot kill me in one attack, and Black Snake Sickness will destroy you next turn. It's your move."

Hope grimaced. "This is my last chance… I play Angel's Gift." She looked at her cards, and laughed. "It's perfect! I discard Rocket Warrior and Cry of the Living Dead. Now I play Warrior's Return, to let me place one Warrior Sub-Type into my hand. I choose Troop Commander, and summon him, calling forth Retrained Elven Swordsman! (1400/1200) Both of my monsters attack!"

Hope: 600

Malady: 100

"You almost won, but not quite. We will tie now," Malady pointed out.

Hope grinned. "You forget; I still have one card in my hand. And now I play it! My Cyclone will destroy Torture Room of Nightmares!"

"No! That means that you will only take 400 damage!"

"That's right. This is what you get for toying with us. Goodbye, Malady. I end my turn."

Hope: 200

Malady: 0

The snakes on Hope stopped short of her neck, and vanished after one last wave of agony. The ones on Malady continued up, coming onto her neck and face. She couldn't even scream; she was being suffocated and burned at the same time. She fell to the ground, holding onto her neck, as through pleading with it to stop. Then she collapsed, and did not rise.

Streak fell too, his feathers burning in a black flame that came from more snakes. The fire released its grip when the bird ceased its struggles, but the snakes remained on Malady and her Soul Monster as a reminder of how they had been defeated.

"Just… sickening," Hope managed to gasp before falling onto her knees, shivering. The smell of burned flesh did not help her condition.

"Better her than us," Miles said reasonably. "If that's all the resistance those stupid officials had planned, then they really need to learn what reinforcements mean."

"If that's all that's here, we'd better get back quickly," Rue told them. "Last time we looked, Fell and Zack weren't exactly in the best condition. Brandi and Mana were completely outnumbered as well."

"Can you walk?" Gaston questioned.

"Yeah… I'm just shocked, that's all." Hope got up, and they hurried back down the mountain. Ruecian still had to support Rue; the boy was too weak to go on his own.

*****

Will was leading the way back when he suddenly stopped, seeing the scene ahead of him.

"What's the matter?" Miles asked, coming down. His eyes went wide. "Holy cow!"

Officials were everywhere, all dead. Their blood stained the earth, along with the Acid Rain that had come down. Zack was in the same position they had left him, unconscious. Fell had also not moved, and looked as if he had not come around yet.

Brandi was injured, but not as badly as she could have been. Her leg was bleeding from a nasty wound, and nearby her shoulder it looked as if she had been cut. Around her shoulder and neck, blood was coated. Mana was no better; in fact, she looked worse. Her side was bleeding, and she seemed completely exhausted.

Hope examined Brandi instantly, looking over her neck. "This blood must have come from the wound on her shoulder. I see no injury on the neck, luckily."

Her voice caused Brandi to open her eyes. "What… happened…?"

"Brandi! Just hold on; we need to at least stop the blood flow. Don't worry, Malady's dead. She was killed in a duel. The path is clear now."

"Mana…"

"We'll take care of her now." Hope looked around. "But we have nothing to stop the blood…"

Miles threw his bandana over to Hope. "Wrap that around her leg. Maybe you can put something under it? It's been bloodied before, and having it suffer again won't make much difference."

Hope nodded, using the bandana to form a temporary bandage for Brandi's leg. The wound on her shoulder did not seem too deep, and did not bleed much, so they concentrated on Mana next.

"We'll need another cloth-like material…" Hope told them. "But what…?"

Neo took off his cape and threw it over to her. "You can use that, for the time being."

"I didn't know you would be so gallant," Gaston joked.

"Shut up," Neo muttered, turning away so they could not see his face.

"It'll do for now," Hope said, covering the injury. "What they mainly need is to rest, for now. Larka, how's Fell?"

She had been examining her brother. "I can't bring him around. He's breathing though."

Draken had been looking at Zack. "Same here. Well, I'm not sure if cyborgs need to breathe. But you get the point."

"This is going to be a pain, especially with Zack," Miles stated. "Until we get down the mountain, we'll need to carry them, or at least support."

Brandi rose slowly. "I can get down… on my own… I'll carry Mana…"

"You're insane!" Miles exclaimed. "With a leg injury like yours, it'll be hard enough just to walk! To carry someone else while just struggling to stay up is suicide!"

"I don't like feeling helpless," she said firmly, picking up Mana. Miles shut up, seeing the expression in her eyes.

"I can take my brother," Larka told them.

"You'll be able to do that?" Draken inquired.

"I'm much stronger than I look," she replied, easily lifting Fell.

"I can help with Zack," Gaston offered. "Darche, up for it?"

"Definitely."

They made it up to the top, and Brandi looked around.

"So where is Malady's body?" she asked.

Rue gave the area a puzzled look. "Good question… she was here a few minutes ago."

"Maybe they were burned to ashes," Hope suggested. "Those snakes… they burned into my skin…"

"Perhaps that's for the better," Gen thought out loud. "Now we cannot be charged with her death."

"Good point," Darche muttered.

It was a slow climb down. They had to be very cautious, often stopping when Brandi needed to rest.

"This is way too slow for my liking," Miles said at their third stop. "I'm going to go ahead, and find a place to rest at. That ok?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Will agreed.

"I'm going too," Gen told them, following Miles down.

The duo had no trouble going down the mountain; it was considerably easier than going up. They were soon at the bottom.

"We'll have to hope that a cave is nearby," Miles stated. "We won't find any shelter out on the plains."

Gen seemed uneasy. "Something's wrong..."

"What is it?"

"I feel as though someone's watching us…"

That was when it happened. Preoccupied as they were, they didn't see their attacker until the sword he wielded sliced into them, only leaving time for a cry of pain before falling into darkness.

*****

"Hey, Miles! You there?!" Draken called as they finally stepped off the mountain. It had been a long and hazardous trip, but they had finally made it.

"He's not here…" Hope murmured. "Where could he be?"

Larka had let Malon leave his Soul Card the minute they had came off of the mountain. Malon yipped happily, running around the area, but came back to Larka holding something.

"Did you find something boy?" she asked, holding out her hand. Malon carefully put the folded sheet of paper into it.

Larka scanned it quickly, and grew pale. "You'd best listen to this."

_You desire revenge for those that the boy slew? You will have it. Directions are on the other sheet._

_Remember, you can recognize him easily enough. You were the one who made the mark on him._

_Be careful. Miles has grown much stronger. Yet we know that your burning hunger for vengeance will be enough to overcome, and hopefully kill, the monster._

*****

Olympion waited in the airport for yet another plane to come in that he could check. As he passed by a seat, he saw a discarded newspaper. What caught his attention was the picture on it; Hope, Rue, Will, and Brandi were immediately identified.

He looked over the article, seeing that the 'fugitives', including Max, were suspected to be in Illinois. He immediately went towards a plane bound for that destination.

To be continued…


	20. Desire for Revenge

Folks, I made some errors in nineteen. I suggest that you go back and reread it, or you might not understand some things here. However, I DID post the changes a while back, so some of you might not notice any difference. Oh well.

LunaticChaos: I personally like her deck, but you're right-it is only good against certain decks.

=P: …o_o;;; Charming. And I assure you that some officials are indeed bright, no matter how stupid most of them look. -_-

John: Heh, I guess you could say that.

Whispering Hope: Thanks. And you'll have to read on to find out. _

Demon fan: Genocide King Demon? He's a monster card, with some fancy effects that I'm too lazy to waste chapter space on providing. _ Thanks for reading!

***Chapter 20: Desire for Revenge***

Olympion stepped out of the airport. The sign in front of him said, to Olympion's relief, "Welcome to Illinois!"

Finally, something had gone right. He could feel Max's wild emotions even closer now. With a snarl, he set off.

*****

Abby sighed. It wasn't the most enjoyable experience, sitting in the waiting room for the official to call her in. She had asked Matt to take the kids home, saying she would come as well when she had finished her report.

_This could take hours…_

A top official with dark brown hair and much lighter brown eyes walked in. "Ms. Driger? I'm ready for your report."

_Or not.___

She followed him into his office. He took out a pen and sheet of paper.

"All right, I'm ready. So how did the barrier work?"

"Very well. None of the monsters were able to get attacks through. It was perfectly safe."

"For a first test, not too bad," the man muttered, writing something on the paper. "Were there any negative effects?"

Before Abby could reply, an urgent knock sounded on the door. The official gave the door a look of annoyance. 

"Please hold on."

He got up and opened the door, showing a lower ranking official.

"Sir! We have a problem."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Malady is gone! Her signal just disappeared!"

"What?! She's dead?!"

"It seems that way, sir."

The top official ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry Ms. Driger. I must check on this. I'll be busy for a long time. Go ahead and leave for now; I'll call you when I need your report."

Abby nodded. "Ok, I understand." 

The top official waited for Abby to come out, but she seemed distracted. 

"I'm sorry that I'm taking so long. I seem to have misplaced my purse…"  
The top official looked at his watch impatiently. "I really can't stay. Just close the door behind you, it will lock automatically." He ran after the other official.

Abby smiled as she pulled the purse from under the desk. _Now's my chance to look around.___

She looked over his desk, searching for anything that could help her son and daughter, along with their friends. A paper folded in half, under a paper weight, caught her eye. She quickly looked it over.

_The following can, and will interfere. Eliminate them, and their Soul Monsters, in any way possible. To be captured is preferred, but kill them if necessary._

_Hope Gales_

_Rue and Claire Klaus_

_Max and Brandi Driger_

_Will Brown_

_Draken Drayfall_

_Miles-Last name unknown_

_Fell and Larka-Specimen, last names unknown_

_Cyborg #0001-Model number, real name unknown_

_Malady Stillwell_

Abby carefully slid the paper in her purse, and then walked out, closing the door behind her.

_It looks like I found what I was looking for._

*****

The first thing that Miles was aware of was that he felt uninjured. Why didn't that seem to make sense though? He looked down at his chest, and saw that his shirt was soaked with blood. 

_What happened? Gen and I made it off the mountain… we were attacked!_

His eyes darted around the area he was in. It was a cave of some sort, but there wasn't anything special about it. Just plain rock walls, with only one way out. There seemed to be some kind of barrier covering it though. Gen was laying to his left, still unconscious. 

Miles staggered up, running his hand over the area where he had been wounded. He was surprised to find that the skin was closed.

_So whoever did this wasn't trying kill us... then why attack?_

He knelt down again, shaking Gen's shoulder. "Hey, wake up! We've got trouble."

Gen got up immediately, looking at him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Whoever did this healed us too, I'm guessing… or are you in pain?"

Gen shook his head. "Strange indeed. If this was the work of a Commander of Heaven, why take us here? We may be trapped, but this just doesn't seem to be a likely area to be held in for long."

Miles eyes the barrier with disgust. "True. Support cards could break that thing down in an instant-too bad ours are off limits. Any ideas?"

"We wait until someone comes."

"That's the best idea you could come up with?"

"Unless you want to alphabetize your deck, yes, it is."

"You're the master at coming up with the most useless, boring activities, you know that?"

"You asked."

*****

There was silence after Larka finished reading the note. The sun was just beginning to rise, but nobody really noticed. After a few seconds, Rue spoke up.

"So Miles was ambushed?"

"It looks that way," Hope said grimly.

Malon was now pawing at the grass, whining. They looked over at him, and saw that much of the grass was red.

"Blood," Will realized. "Is he dead?"

 "Let's hope not!" was Draken's response.

Malon was still searching the area, sniffing more areas until he stopped walking. His ears went up as he examined the land he stood on, and he sunk his paws into the earth, digging frantically.

"Malon? What is it?" Larka asked.

Malon looked up at her and barked urgently before going back to his task.

"What are you doing?" she inquired to her Soul Monster.

He didn't even look up from his work.

"He seems pretty intent on finishing whatever he's trying to do," Hope noticed. "How about we let him? We don't even know where to start looking for Miles-Malon is our best bet at finding him. Besides, we need to look after the ones who were wounded."

Larka nodded, lying Fell down. Brandi did the same for Mana, as did Gaston and Darche for Zack. 

"Our main problem is that they can only heal naturally," Will commented. 

"I'll look after Mana. She will be fine after some rest," Brandi assured.

"Fell will be too. He heals much more quickly than many," Larka said.

"That just leaves Zack, and we can't do much to help him," Rue pointed out. He had also lain down-he was still tired from having Demon Rue take over him.

"I guess all we can do is wait," Draken sighed, joining his companion on the grass.

*****

"I'm going to die of boredom before I die of lack of food, water, or oxygen," Miles complained to Gen after about an hour of being in the make-shift prison.

Gen was about to reply to that, when he heard something. "It looks like someone is coming."

"About time!" Miles exclaimed. "I don't care if it's a Commander of Heaven or the Easter Bunny who's coming-I just want something to happen!"

 A man stepped through the barrier. He wore a white long sleeved shirt and white pants as well, with white fine shoes. His blonde hair went down to his shoulders, and his green eyes were hardened with hatred. At his side was a silver sword; Miles was glad to notice that it was sheathed-for the time being at least.

"So, we finally meet again," the man said.

"Huh? What do you mean again?" Miles asked, confused. "Have we seen each other before?"

The man gave him a look of disbelief. "You mean you don't recognize me?"

Miles pretended to be concentrating on recalling a past event. "Oh yeah! You're that guy who works at McDonalds, aren't you?"

The man shook his head. "You haven't changed at all. I remember that you could make any situation light-hearted. Well, get serious. This is a matter of life or death for you-most likely death."

Miles shrugged. "I can be serious when I want to be. Alright, refresh my memory. How have we met?"

"How could you forget?" the man wondered. "After all, I was the one who gave you the scar on your neck. Does that remind you?"

Miles stared at him in shock. "You… you inflicted this on me?! Tell me! Why did you do it?! What do you know of me?!"

The man growled in disgust. "I can't believe it. I've searched for three years… three years of endless looking, only to find that the one I swore revenge upon doesn't even know why I am doing this! How did you forget?"

"It's none of your business!" Miles snarled. "All I know is my name, ok? Now just tell me who you are, what you want to do with me, and why you want to!"

The man smirked. "Very well. My name is Robin. I plan on slaying you, but unlike the cowardly deaths you have dealt, I will kill you honorably. I know how pathetic you are physically, so we will duel. If you refuse, you will die immediately. What is your decision?"

"I'm guessing there is no option C? If not, then I'll duel you! But don't come crying to me when you lose!"

"As if I will lose." Robin held up a Soul Card, and a monster emerged instantly. It was a machine with green armor and a pink head. On its head was an iron band that went around and over, and a most curious device where its mouth should have been. Its glowing red eyes spoke of death.

Miles looked at the monster in dismay. "An Android Psycho Shocker; just what we needed."

"I thought you would have that kind of reaction. I'm sure that my Soul Monster, Android, will be of most use."

"Some name that is," Miles muttered.

"Your petty insults will not anger me, or my ally. Now prepare your deck!"

Miles: 8000

Robin: 8000

"You were the one to challenge me, so I'll make the first move," Miles declared. "I will first use Gen's Soul Monster ability. Go ahead Gen."

Gen vanished in a twirl of his white cape. Robin looked around frantically for him, then at his hand.

"You're as dishonorable as ever!"

"I love you too," Miles said as he examined the card Gen had stolen for him. "This looks like a good one… I'd best save it though. I'll now play Confiscate. By paying 1000 Life Points, I choose one card from your hand to discard."

Miles: 7000

Robin: 8000

"Take your pick then. I have Landmine Spider, Giant Orc, Cyclone, and Sand Tornado."

Miles groaned. "Well, I can deal with magic and trap destruction, as long as you have no monsters. Now I lay one monster in defense mode and two cards face down. It's your turn."

"Hm… not bad. I lay two cards of my own down, and summon Giant Orc in attack mode. (2200/0)"

"Do you dare attack?" Miles taunted.

"No, I do not. It's your turn."

Miles gave him a doubtful look. "Ok then… I lay another monster in defense mode."

"When you do that, I activate my trap card. My Sand Tornado will destroy the face down card to your left."

"Drat! That was my Gravity Bind…"

"I will use Sand Tornado's other effect to lay another magic or trap card face down. Then I activate the other card I had put down last turn, my Cyclone, to destroy your other one."

"Come on! That was my Thieving Goblin… oh well. I end my turn by laying one card down."

"Excellent," Robin smirked. "I will activate my trap card, Skill Drain!"

"Not that!" Miles groaned. "I still remember what that does, from when Fell used it on me. You pay 1000 Life Points, and all of our monster's effects are negated, right?"

"Exactly the point. Do you now see why I use Giant Orc and Landmine Spider?"

That's when it dawned upon Miles. "Of course… all of my good effects are negated, along with your bad ones." 

"You're a quick study, aren't you?"

Miles: 7000

Robin: 7000

"First I play Jar of Greed, to draw two more cards. Now I play Raise Dead, to revive my Landmine Spider. I also summon Dark Elf. (2000/800) Normally it costs 1000 Life Points to attack with her, but not anymore. Now I will have Dark Elf attack your first defense monster!"

"Oh no, my Falcon Knight, (1000/700)" Miles said sarcastically.

"Then Landmine Spider attacks your other."

"That one is a problem," Miles admitted. "It looks like my Soul-Hunting Spirit is dead. (300/200)"

"Very good. Now I will have my Giant Orc attack!"

"I activate Destruction Ring! Now your Orc is destroyed, and we both lose Life Points equal to its attack!"

Miles: 4800

Robin: 4800

"Damn it… at least that trap is out of the way. It's your turn."

Miles seemed relieved by his next draw. "You may have all of my monsters effects negated, but at least I can still destroy them! I summon Surprising Matasa! (1300/800) Then I equip him with Demon Axe, raising his attack by 1000! (2300/800) Surprising Matasa destroys your Landmine Spider! Then I lay one card down, and end my turn."

Miles: 4800

Robin: 4700

"Good, but not good enough! On my Standby phase, I choose to activate Android's Deck Master ability! All of our trap cards are negated until my next Standby phase."

"Joyful," Miles muttered.

"Since you only have Matasa out, I'll just deal with not having Skill Drain. And I drew the perfect card to defeat Matasa. I summon Goblin Strike Team (2300/0) and attack Matasa, killing both! Then I pay 1000 Life Points for Dark Elf to attack! After that, I end my turn."

Miles: 2800

Robin: 3700

Miles looked at his deck. "So we both have no cards in our hand… top decking sucks. Oh well, here it goes." He examined his next card. "Well, it looks like I drew a life saver. I play Jar of Greed, to draw two more cards. Whew, good draw. I lay one monster in defense mode, and one other card down. It's your turn."

"That's fine. I'll draw…"

"And I activate Lost Property! You're forced to discard the card you drew!"

"Damn! My Berserk Gorilla (2000/1000) is gone…" He looked at Android. "I can't risk your monster's effect. I won't have Android use his effect again."

"Sucker," Miles smirked.

"Shut up. Dark Elf attacks!"

"Tough luck," Miles said, flipping over his trap card. "I activate Destruction Ring."

"What?! That's impossible! You can only use one Destruction Ring in your deck!"

"That's true… but did you forget that Gen got to pick a card from your hand? It's a random choice, but I got lucky to get such a valuable trap card."

Robin swore. "I didn't get a good chance to examine my hand, so I didn't know… until it was too late…"

"Yep. Sucks to be you."

Miles: 800

Robin: 1700

"So you're done? I assume so, since you have no cards in your hand." He looked at his face down monster and groaned. "Damn it! My Critter (1000/600) isn't strong enough to kill you by himself, and I have no monsters in my hand!"

"Then you're dead," Robin sneered.

Gen had been silent up to this point. But now he had an idea. "Miles! Do you remember what Mana did in Brandi's duel?"

"What she did? Yeah, she used her effect… oh! That's right! You can move your Deck Master to the playing field to act as a normal monster!" Miles exclaimed.

"That's right, so what are we waiting for?"

"Too true!" Miles grinned. "I'll flip summon my Critter, and have Gen move to the playing field! (1000/700) Critter attacks, then Gen finishes you off!"

Gen slammed his fist into Robin, causing the man to fall to the ground.

Miles: 800

Robin: 0

"Damn it… damn it… damn it!" Robin cried, rising. "Why? Why did it have to turn out this way?! Raven… I'm sorry! Allow me to join you, no matter how dishonorable I do so!" Then he drew his sword, stabbing himself through the heart. Android grasped his head with his hands and allowed them to charge with energy. Miles was dimly aware of Gen jumping in front of him before the explosion went off, and then he lost consciousness.

*****

Malon finally stopped digging, barking several times.

Larka walked over to him. "What did you find boy?" Then she saw the hole he had made in the ground. "No way! You dug a hole that deep in that short of a time?"

Will examined it. "I don't think he could have. It looks like the hole had already been there, but someone covered it with earth. I don't know what support card could have done it, but it's obviously there for a reason."

Without hesitation, Malon leapt down into the hole. 

"Malon! Get back up here! It might be dangerous down there!" Larka protested.

Ignoring his master, Malon ran down the tunnel. 

"He must sense something," Hope suggested. "Let's follow him. Draken, can you stay here? Everyone else is exhausted."

"No problem. Will, are you going?"

"I might as well," Will shrugged. "Neo, want to come?"

"Yeah, of course."

"I will too," Gaston volunteered.

They jumped down, and followed Malon. It was a straight tunnel, with no huge turns, so it was impossible for them to get lost. It was pretty dark, but Neo lit up the area, so they found no trouble in proceeding.

Soon, they came to the end of the tunnel, to a cave of some sort. Since Neo was in the lead, he was the first to see the corpse of Robin. He quickly blocked Larka and Hope from coming in.

"You don't want to see this," he warned. "It looks like he's stabbed."

Malon whimpered, sniffing the sword that was lying beside Robin. His hackles went up and he growled at the smell of the blood that was on it.

"You two stay here," Will told Hope and Larka. "I'll survey the area and be right back. Neo, Gaston, and Malon can help."

He stepped inside, casting his eyes around, until he saw two other figures.

"Miles and Gen! What the heck are they doing here?" Gaston exclaimed, examining them.

Will shook his head at the sight of the blood on them. "Only they can answer that. Let's see what he has to say for himself." Will shook Miles' shoulder.

"Five more minutes…" he muttered.

Will wasn't about to deal with waiting for him to get up. He slapped Miles across the face.

"OW! What the heck was that for?!" Miles yelped, coming around. Then he looked around the area. "Wait, what happened?"

"We were hoping you would know," Gaston told him.

"That Robin guy… he said he wanted revenge on me, but I have no idea why," Miles explained. "He challenged me to a duel, which I won. He stabbed himself, and his Soul Monster, an Android Psycho Shocker, blew itself up. That caused us to go flying into a wall."

Malon was nudging Gen, whining softly.

"He blocked the worst of it… damn, I hope he's ok." Miles placed his hand on Gen's right hand. "Gen? Are you ok?"

_The sword descended upon him. He tried to move out of the way, but he felt frozen. His neck exploded with pain, his scream of agony a terrible thing to hear. _

_Blood loss was effecting him, but he could still make out the dim outline of Robin, his green eyes showing sorrow and a mad desire for vengeance._

_It filled his heart with a fear he had never felt before. He couldn't think. He was sure he would die._

Miles fell backwards, gasping, shaking in terror. He still felt panicked, and the scar on his neck burned.

"What… was… that…?"

"Miles? Are you ok?" Will asked. "You looked terrified."

"I'm… fine…" He got up, leaning against the wall for support. "Just… after effects of… the explosion, that's all…"

"I see." Will beckoned to Gaston. "Would you assist Gen? I'll help Miles. Neo, go to the front to light up the tunnel."

Gaston easily lifted the White Thief as Will lent Miles his shoulder to hold on to. They went back to Hope and Larka, Malon following.

"Wait… how did you find us?" Miles asked.

"It was Malon. He found the tunnel," Will informed him, nodding to the energetic puppy.

"I guess the barrier that was over this cave was blown to kingdom come when the Android Psycho Shocker committed suicide," Miles figured. "Hey Malon, I owe you one. Thanks for helping."

Malon yipped at him.

"Miles! What happened to you? You're bleeding!" Hope exclaimed.

"Nah, my opponent sealed the wounds," Miles assured. 

"Who was that man anyway?" Gaston inquired.

"He called himself Robin." Miles frowned at the memory of him stabbing himself. "His last words… he said something about Raven? Who's that supposed to be?"

"We'll never know," Larka said, picking up Malon. "You did great Malon." 

He licked her face.

They soon arrived at the tunnel entrance, and with Draken and Darche's help managed to climb out.

"Typical. Now we have five of our group injured," Brandi noted when they finally came out. By this time, Miles had gotten over his shock and was able to climb out on his own. Rue also seemed to be doing better after resting.

"The best thing would be to get under cover, and to wait for everyone to heal," Will suggested. "That tunnel below… we shouldn't go to the cave, since there's a dead man there and such. But the tunnel itself would be good shelter. How about we wait there?"

"It's a logical suggestion," Draken agreed. "Let's get down there."

*****

"Where were you?" Matt demanded. "I thought you'd be back much sooner than this!"

"Sorry. My report got interrupted-apparently, one of their important leaders died."

"Score!" Matt grinned. "I shouldn't feel happy about someone dying, but I just can't help it."

Abby nodded. "I know what you mean. I also found something that I think can help clear their names." She handed him the sheet of paper she had taken from the official's desk.

Matt scanned over it, a grim smile on his face. "That's perfect. Excuse me, I'm off to get my motorcycle. I'll be back once I've visited Supreme Court."

*****

Olympion stopped in front of what he assumed to be Hope's house. Normally, he would not have known, but the fierce energy was coming from this area. It called him like a beacon.

He didn't want to cause too much attention, so he snuck around to the back of the house to find a window that was still open. He climbed in easily, looking around the family room. When he was sure nobody had noticed him, he silently climbed up the stairs.

Claire was sleeping on the chair in the living room. She had been relieved to see that Max appeared to be recovering, and wanted to give him some time alone.

The moment of peace was broken by a cry for help. She leapt up instantly, running up to the room where Max was. The door was not completely closed; she pushed it open the rest of the way, and froze.

Olympion was snarling violently, his expression ferocious and deadly.

"Olympion?! Is that you?!"

He hissed at her, eyes glowing. She backed away slowly, looking over at Max. To her shock, he was not moving.

"Max? Max, what's wrong?"

Olympion stepped away from the bed, still growling, allowing Claire to walk over to him. She checked his pulse, relieved to see that it was a still steady. She tried to shake him awake.

"Come on… answer to me! Max… Max!"

Still he did not respond.

"Forgive me for this," she whispered, and slapped him across the face.

And yet he slept on.

She had heard of this happening, but had never seen it before.

"My God… is he in a coma?"

To be continued…


	21. Shadow of the Past

School has been awful. Luckily, I had hardly any homework for the first time in like two weeks!

LunaticChaos: I know. Evil=good! 

Whispering Hope: You won't be saying 'poor Max' in future chapters… 

John: I know, but I refuse to call a great monster like Olympion by his horrible English name. And please, no more fire puns.

=P: I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it: You scare me. Keep up the torture ideas!

**Chapter 21: Shadow of the Past**

Entering the tunnel was a tricky process. First, Ruecian went inside, soon emerging with the dead body of Robin. By this time, Gaston and Malon had already finished digging a hole. Ruecian gently laid the man inside before Malon began to cover the grave.

Getting Android out was much more difficult, but Ruecian and Darche managed to pull the machine up. They dropped the Soul Monster into another grave, and Malon kicked the dirt back on top of it.

It was easy enough to get Mana, Fell, and Gen in, even though they were unconscious. Doing the same for Zack was a challenge though. In the end, Gaston and Ruecian had to lift him down so that Draken and Neo could catch him. Neo nearly fell over, but they managed to get the cyborg into the tunnel.

"Why does he have to weigh so much?" Neo complained.

"Because he's almost completely made out of metal, you moron," Will said as he leapt down into the tunnel entrance. "Gaston, is everyone else inside?"

Ruecian lowered himself down, and then Gaston came as well. "Ruecian was the last one there."

"Geez, this tunnel is huge!" Rue commented. "It looks like five people could go shoulder to shoulder at once, and still walk down it without even scraping the sides!"

"That's right," Will confirmed. "Still, we'll have to space ourselves out. Rue, Draken, Ruecian, Darche, we need some guards here in case someone tries to ambush us. Will you remain here?"

"No problem," Rue replied. Draken nodded, leaning against a wall.

The others continued on down the tunnel, stopping when they arrived at the cavern in the back. Larka retreated to one corner, laying Fell down there. Malon sat beside her, whining softly. Miles stayed with Gen on the other side. Brandi managed to stagger over to another area, placing Mana down carefully. Will and Neo remained with Miles, silently watching the teen. Gaston leaned Zack against a wall, examining the cyborg before shaking his head.

"Is it bad?" Hope asked.

"I assume so." Gaston nodded towards Brandi. "Why don't you go over to her for a while? I'll look over Zack."

"Sure, thanks."

Hope walked over to Brandi, kneeling beside her. "Is Mana going to be ok?"

"After some time has passed, I know she will be." Brandi ran her hand over Mana's forehead. "If only she had not risked herself…"

"What exactly happened?" Hope inquired.

"She used a lot of her energy by attacking and healing me. When she was hit by a bullet, it just took away the last of her strength."

"What? Mana can heal?" Hope said in surprise. "You never told me that."

"She can only heal me, and it exhausts her, but she can," Brandi confirmed. "It's only a matter of time before she comes around-I just hope Claire can remove the bullet."

"I bet she can," Hope assured. "After all, her armor must have at least slowed the bullet down, right?"

"That's true." Brandi gazed back at her Soul Monster. "Still, I feel worried. All we can do is wait."

A woman walked across the plains. Her white cloak was blown around by the playful winds, yet she ignored it. She was searching for something.

Most people would have thought nothing of the rock that was lying on the ground, but this was what she had been looking for. She smiled grimly, and settled down to wait.

She had waited for this moment for years. She had no problem waiting for a few more hours.

"How's it going guys?" Rue asked, emerging from the tunnel after an hour had passed.

"It could be worse," Hope sighed, looking over at him. "But it could also be a lot better."

"So Mana, Gen, Fell, and Zack are still out of it?"

"That's right," Will confirmed. "Has anything happened up front?"

"Nope. I just wanted to see how it was back here," Rue shrugged. "I'm going back now. See you all later." Then he left, leaving the others to their own thoughts.

After a few minutes, Will spoke up. "Once we are ready to move on, what should we do?"

"Trying to find that official who used Prohibition Order on us would be the best move," Hope recommended. "We don't have much time to do it, either. If we can't log out, then we can't eat. We'll die of starvation."

"Actually, you can live up to a month without eating," Will stated. "We would die of dehydration first."

"Well, that's a relief… dehydration?!" Miles exclaimed.

"Either way, Hope's idea is probably the most logical," Will concluded. "But it is also one of the most difficult ones to carry out. We have no idea of where to look for that official, and when we do find him, he will most likely have reinforcements. Also, his Soul Monster is not to be taken lightly."

"Maybe Draken could get some of his Blue Eyes White Dragon friends to help us," Larka suggested.

"Perhaps. Whatever we are going to do must wait though," Hope reminded her. "Maybe over time, a better idea will come to us. For now, we need to wait for the rest of our friends to come around."

Larka lightly touched her brother's arm. "Yeah…"

They fell silent after that. The quiet was broken by a soft moan.

Mana opened her eyes slowly. "Brandi…?"

"Don't try to move," Brandi commanded. "Save your strength. How do you feel?"

"I'm ok…" Mana attempted to sit up, but failed.

"Convincing," Brandi said dryly, as she tried to put Mana in a more comfortable position.

"I can move, but I can't stand up… I just feel too weak…" Mana confessed.

"Let me try something." Brandi gently felt her Soul Monster's side, where the bullet entered. Mana yelped as Brandi ran her hand over the exact location.

"Not only are you weakened from healing me, but you still are wounded from that bullet. You have to stay still."

"What happened?" Mana asked. "All I can remember is the battle on the mountain, then nothing…"

"We made it down the mountain, and into this underground tunnel. Gen, Fell, and Zack are still injured at the moment, so we are waiting for them, along with you, to recover," Brandi explained. "So try to relax, ok?"

Mana nodded wearily. "I feel like such a burden though…"

"Hey, even if you weren't hurt, Gen would be anyway," Miles pointed out. "Along with Fell and Zack. It wouldn't matter if you were in perfect health-we still couldn't go on."

"I guess you're right," Mana agreed.

"Whoa, Miles was right about something? First time for everything," Gaston joked.

"Oh shut up," Miles muttered as he turned back to Gen.

Brandi spent the next hour giving Mana the specific details on what had happened, and informing her on what would probably happen next. It was around the time that she had finished when another of their group regained consciousness.

Miles was at Gen's side immediately as he came around. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I was caught in an explosion. How on earth could I be fine?"

Miles smiled slightly. "Well, at least you have your humor still. And… I owe you for saving me. Thanks a lot."

"Hey, the reason I exist is to help you, right?"

"I thought you were here to annoy me constantly."

"You have a point."

Hope laughed softly at the sight of them. "Look at those two! One nearly gets killed, yet they still talk to each other the same way."

"Yeah. That's just the way they are friends," Larka said.

Hope looked over at her. "How is Fell doing?"

"Not good." Larka frowned as she looked over at him again. "That cannon must have been charging for some time. That's the only explanation on why he hasn't woken up yet."

Gaston suddenly beckoned to Hope. "Hope, come over here! I think Zack is coming around!"

Hope ran over to see the cyborg examining the area. "What happened?" he inquired.

"You were hit with a magic card called Acid Rain. In the game, it destroys any Machine Sub-Types instantly, so you were harmed greatly by it. Are you ok now?"

"I believe so." Zack stood up, and nodded. "I just need some time to recharge. I would prefer an area that is quiet. Can I go into that tunnel?"

"Of course. It's a straight path, so you can't get lost. Rue, Ruecian, Draken, and Darche are all in the front of it, so staying in the tunnel itself would probably be the most silent area. Do you want me to explain what happened?"

Zack caught sight of the unconscious Fell. "You can tell both of us later."

"Alright then. Come back in when you're done."

"Sure."

Zack made it to the tunnel, stopping at what he estimated to be about half way. He stopped there, sitting down while leaning against the wall. He quickly pressed a few buttons on his wrist.

"My energy is a lot lower than I had hoped," he sighed. "That Acid Rain must have been too much… the most likely thing that occurred was that my body shut down to conserve the little energy it had left. It would be best if I recharged now… but it makes me much more vulnerable to attack." He shook his head. "This is a safe area… why am I so tense? It must be from being alone for so long, having to protect myself." He pressed another button. "Oh well. Extra precautions never hurt." Then he closed his eyes.

The woman looked at the sky, nodding in satisfaction. "Finally, it is noon." She placed a card into her Duel Disk. "Time to go to work. If what he said is correct, then my Miraculous Findings should reveal the tunnel that is here."

She shielded her eyes as a white light filled the area. When she looked again, she saw that a hole had formed. At the bottom was the tunnel.

"Good. Now I should be able to sneak in without them ever knowing, until it is too late." She jumped in silently.

Rue stood up, looking around.

"What's the matter?" Draken asked.

"Did you hear something?"

"No. Why?"

"Because I just did." Rue strode down the tunnel. "I'm going to check it out. You stay here."

"Sure thing."

Fell's eyes opened at last, and he attempted to get up.

"Fell! Are you ok? What are you doing?" Larka asked worriedly. "Lie back down. You need rest!"

"Somebody is approaching," Fell said.

"What?"

Will was up already. "In the tunnel? It isn't Rue, or Draken, or Zack?"

"Yes…"

"Come on, let's check this out," Will suggested. "Brandi, stay here with Mana. The rest of us should look into this."

"I'm coming too," Brandi declared. "I can bring Mana. It's better that we see this now than have to have it explained to us later."

"If you insist," Will shrugged.

The woman treaded softly down the tunnel, alert for any signs of the ones she was to slay. Being cautious, she fell back when she saw someone else in the tunnel. Her breathing grew steady again as she saw that the person was asleep. She quietly walked up to him, and barely managed to stop herself from snarling in rage.

_Him! He may be a cyborg now, but I can still recognize him! Fitting that he will be the first to die._

She slowly drew a knife out, stealthily approaching Zack. When she was just in front of him, she drove down the knife, aiming for his neck, with all of her force.

Zack brought up his switchblade just in time. The blades crashed together, causing the woman to stumble back in surprise.

"But how?!" she exclaimed.

"I programmed myself to regain consciousness when someone else would come nearby me. Apparently, I was right for taking these safeguards."

With a growl of anger, she lunged again. Zack was ready this time though. He neatly dodged the blade and slashed at his opponent. She jumped backwards, but his switchblade had caught on to her hood. It was torn off, and the white cloth floated to the floor.

While the woman's clothes were still hidden, her face was now visible. She had long, blonde hair and brown eyes that burned with fury.

Zack stepped back, unable to believe what he was seeing. "Heather?"  
"I'm surprised you remember me," she told him as she stepped away from him, preparing her knife.

"What are you doing here? Why are you trying to kill me?" he asked. "It makes no sense!"

"I'm doing this for revenge, of course! You know what you did!"

"What's going on here?"

They turned to see Hope, who had been the one to ask the question. Everyone else was there as well, having heard the commotion. Brandi had managed to bring Mana out, while Gen leaned against Miles' arm. Fell seemed as though he would collapse any second, but he was there too. From the other side, Rue came running, Ruecian following.

"What the hell happened?" Rue demanded. "It looks as if someone tunneled down here from above!"

"So that's how you made it here," Gaston realized, indicating to the woman.

Daine had emerged from his Soul Card on the way here. He snarled at the woman as Malon barked ferociously.

Hope caught sight of Zack's expression. "Zack? Do you know her?"

He nodded. "Yes… I do…"

"Who is she?" Rue inquired.

Zack just stared at his opponent. _How can this be happening?_

"I am Heather Oranda. Does that name ring a bell?"

Nobody answered.

"So he never told you about me? I should have expected that," she stated, looking over at Zack. "You wouldn't want your new companions to know of your traitorous personality, would you?"

"You do not understand!" Zack protested. "I did not betray him! I didn't want to… to harm anyone…"

"I find that hard to believe," Heather said in disgust. "Even after all that has happened, you would try to cover up your past. That will not work against me! What you have done is too real for me to be fooled by false stories and lies."

"You think I liked doing that? You think that I wanted to do what I did?!"

"Zack, try telling her your story," Hope suggested. "And tell us. Maybe we can figure out a solution that avoids fighting."

Zack didn't say anything for several moments. Finally, he nodded. "Alright. I'll explain. Know that it pains me to, though."

"We wouldn't ask you to tell us if it wasn't important," Larka said softly. "I'm sure you realize that."

"Yes… I do. Let me see… where should I begin?"

"I was born in 2045. I lived in Denver, Colorado at the time, a place that had several beautiful locations. I was proud to call it my home, and I had no desire to leave."

Hope seemed surprised at this. "My dad lives in that area! I agree-it is quite incredible."

"Yes, it is. However, I often kept to myself. There were a few people I would talk with occasionally, but that was it. However, there was one exception to this. When I was about ten years old, I met a boy named Andrew Oranda, who was the same age as me. He had just moved to Denver, and also preferred to not talk with anyone. When walking home one day after he had just moved in, I saw that some older kids were trying to attack him. He was standing his ground against them, and although outnumbered five to one, he took down three of them before the other two managed to restrain him. Normally, I would have tried to keep out of the situation, yet I felt that it was unfair that anyone who was such a good fighter would be taken out from number alone, and not skill. I took them on surprise, knocking one out. Andrew handled the other one, and then we left before anyone could witness what we had done."

"We went to a nearby park, with a large lake. There were many people around, but we found a more quiet area-if you don't count the squirrels there. Those squirrels had eaten from human hands for so long that they were almost tame. They had no fear in coming up to us…"

"Andrew said that he was grateful for the help, but something seemed to be bothering him. I asked, and he explained that he felt as though it was a weakness to require help. I told him that we all needed assistance sometimes, including the strongest of warriors, and inquired why he was worried about it. Apparently, he was usually pushed around by the others in his old home. He said that he had to learn to adapt, so he learned to fight. I don't know why, but I felt like I wanted to help him. Maybe it was because we were so similar in personality. But ever since that day, we had been friends."

"We went through school and continued to do well in it. When we were twenty five, after we had graduated from collage, we both found ourselves a wife. Andrew had fallen in love with Heather, and I for a woman named Crystal. Our weddings were around the same time period, and for five years we lived happily in the same neighborhood. Crystal and I also had two children, a boy named Sam and a girl called Samantha, after four years of being married. Although Andrew and Heather never had children of their own, they cared about ours just as much as we did."

"Our peaceful lives ended when we were thirty though. Andrew was drafted into the military. Although Heather pleaded with him to not go, he knew he had to."

"The night before he left, we went back to the park, the place where we had first become friends. I told him that he was the best friend I had, and that I wished he did not have to go, but that I knew he had no choice. He stayed silent for a few minutes, and then said that he wanted us to promise something-that no matter how far apart we were, we would always remain loyal friends. That… no matter what… we would always be comrades… and of course, I agreed…"

After a pause, Zack went on. "Five more years passed. We heard nothing from Andrew, and often worried for him-what if he was killed? But Heather was confident that one day he would return. So we lived on, acting positive but being worried on the inside. I felt especially bad for Heather. At least Crystal and I had our six year olds to look after, but she lived alone. Still, she carried on as if nothing was wrong…"

"I was thirty five when it happened. I had gone out to buy a medication-Samantha had picked up a cold. It wasn't serious, but we wanted to take care of it before it was. I was gone for about an hour-the nearby stores were already closed, so I had to go to a store we didn't often visit. When I came back to the house…" Zack stopped, and then continued with difficulty. "I found that the house had been broken into. Thieves… eleven of them… had forced their way in. They had obviously not been expecting anyone to interrupt them… when I walked in, I found five in the living room. With two bodies… my son and daughter. Both were… already dead… Filled with rage, I did not stop to think. All five were slaughtered-I always carried my switchblade with me." He brought it out of his arm before it slid back in. "Their screams alerted the other six. Five of them were just as easily dealt with, but the sixth… he was the leader. He was too arrogant… even the loss of his ten men did not phase him. He was proud to tell me what he had done with my wife… before killing her, he had forced himself upon her… I believe you know what I mean. I was already furious, but this… I slashed him several times, not pausing even when he was dead…"

"Finally, I forced myself to stop, and realized what I had just done. I ran upstairs, only to find that he had spoken the truth… Crystal lay lifeless… Everyone I cared about, except for Andrew and Heather, was dead… But I did not even consider the possibility of going to see Heather, and Andrew was still gone. So, not knowing what I was doing, I ran. I fled from the house, running towards a nearby field. I thought nobody would be there… at least not this late at night. Even in the daytime, hardly anyone would go to the fields."

"When I got there, I found a large group of men-about twenty-waiting for me. They were all from the military. Their commander was in the back ranks. I had no idea why they would be here, until one of the men stepped forward and asked his commander if I was the one they were after. The commander seemed to hesitate, but he nodded. I demanded to know what was going on, and the same man said that I was guilty of murdering the eleven men, and my own wife and children. I denied it… I told them I would never kill my own family members… but they didn't listen… my switchblade was covered with the thieves' blood, and they pointed out that my wife and children had been cut in several locations, and that the other eleven men did not even have any blades with them. But they did… I don't understand how they could have missed it!"

"There's only one explanation," Will stated grimly. "There was another person with them. And he took their blades, to lay the blame on you. Running off as you did would have made them suspicious as well."

"That's probably true," Zack said, still looking pained. "But the military men did not know of that. I was still furious and panicked. When two came forward to intercept me, I slew them."

"Apparently, their orders were to bring me back alive if possible, but if not, to kill me. So they opened fire. But I managed to dodge them, and ran towards them. I was dimly aware of what I was doing… I was thinking that I didn't want to kill anybody… but that thought was overridden by my rage. They carried swords, but only the back rank was able to pull them free-the front rank was cut down before they could even draw their blades. I also killed the back rank. I parried and blocked without thought, always slashing whenever there was an opening… blood was everywhere, even on me. But it wasn't mine. I wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing."

"Only the commander was left. He drew his own sword, and we battled. He was skilled and strong, while I was exhausted… even so, I had one thing he didn't. I had nothing to lose. So when his sword came down, I caught it with my left hand. It cut it harshly, but it took the commander by complete surprise-he had assumed that since I was left handed, I would not try a maneuver like that. But I had switched my blade to my right hand, and with one thrust to the stomach, he died instantly."

"But when he fell, and slammed into the ground, his helmet came off and rolled away. And that was when I saw who I had killed. Andrew."

"I knew then that I had no reason to live on. All of my loved ones were dead, my best and possibly my only friend was gone as well. And I had been the one to kill him. It was all my fault… I could never be forgiven, even by spending eternity in hell! I was not fighting anymore. I was a coward, weak, unable to grasp what I had done. So I added another victim's blood to my switchblade."

"You… you mean you…" Hope couldn't finish the sentence.

"Yes. I killed myself."

"Lies!" Heather snarled. "Andrew and you killed each other! You say he never landed a blow on you? Then how come his sword had blood on it?"

"Because I caught it with my hand…"

"Impossible! His whole blade was coated with blood! I don't care how badly that cut was, it would not be enough to shed as much blood as there was on Andrew's sword!" Heather yelled.

"But that can't be…" Zack shook his head. "I remember it clearly. His sword's upper part had some blood on it from my hand, but that was it."

"How could that have happened?" Larka wondered.

Rue was struck with a sudden idea. "Will! You said that it was possible someone had taken those knives from the thieves, right? Well, what if someone had coated Andrew's sword with blood after Zack committed suicide? After all, the ground must have been bloody after that fight. The person could also have borrowed a corpse's blood."

"Very doable," Will agreed. "Excellent thought."

"It's a nice thought, but scientist's tested the blood on all of the swords," Heather told them. "A few others had blood on them, but it was small amounts-it must have come from falling onto the ground. But I demanded that a test should be taken on the blood on Andrew's blade, and it was Zack's!"

"Then this mysterious person took some of Zack's blood; it isn't that hard to figure out," Brandi stated.

"How could have he, when Zack's body wasn't there?"

"Zack's body was gone?" Hope said in disbelief.

"Before I had come, more military men had been at the scene. One scientist had insisted on taking Zack's body-why, I had no idea. I thought it might be for organs, or something similar. I didn't care. I was grieving for my husband."

"But it wasn't for organs," Zack declined. "I was in darkness. I had no feelings, no thoughts, nothing. It was almost like… having a dreamless sleep, you might say. But when I finally awoke, I couldn't understand what had happened. My last memory had been intense pain in my heart… the area where I had stabbed myself. But now I was strapped to some kind of metal table. My hand had been in severe pain when I had last been conscious, but now it… didn't feel like anything. The same with my chest… I just didn't feel anything."

"There was a lab assistant nearby, and when he saw me he immediately ran off. A few minutes later, a scientist entered. He told me of what he had done… finding my strength to be tremendous, he had taken my body to try an experiment on, one he had been trying to make perfect for years. And he had finally succeeded. By replacing many of my organs and body parts with metal, he had brought me back to life. I was a cyborg."

Zack held out his left hand. "This hand that was cut was completely replaced with metal. My right hand is still human, but not my left hand."

"But I didn't want to be alive. I wanted to just go back to that world where I could not feel anything… My protests seemed to please the scientist. He said this was one reason he had chosen me to experiment on. He told me how to bring out my switchblade, and to try to slay myself with it. But when I tried to lift my arm to do it, I felt something course through me… a painful electric shock of some kind. My arm was paralyzed."

"The scientist was delighted. He had been trying to make this device work for a very long time, or so he explained. Its main purpose? It made committing suicide impossible. No matter what I do, I cannot kill myself."

"The scientist did a few more experiments, but soon he said that he had gotten all of the data he needed. He told me that I could leave and lived as I wished to. But I had no idea on what to do. So I took missions with low success rates, hoping I would be killed while trying to complete them. I also tried to slay as many in the missions as possible. I tried to accept the idea of slaying others, but no matter how many fell before me, I could not get myself to kill without guilt. Not once have I even been close to dying… until I tried to slay all of you." He turned to Hope. "I wanted Hope to kill me then. It was something I had wanted for the longest time, to die and be left without my memories or feelings… But I remembered my guilt and pain. I didn't want you to suffer as I had. But you were being hunted by a group with many dangerous people… what better chance did I have? I came with you to not only try to help, but so that if someone was to die then it would be me."

"So basically, your whole life has been spent trying to kill yourself?" Brandi concluded.

"Well, my second life if you want to call it that."

"But there's so many good things in life," Hope said. "Besides, would your wife and children want you to be dead just because of them? They'd feel completely responsible!"

"They didn't want me to die," Zack replied. "But Andrew did."

Hope had nothing to say to that.

"Nice story," Heather growled. "But you cannot convince me! You have just admitted that you killed Andrew, and that is enough reason for me to do the same to you!"

"But don't you see? I didn't want to hurt or kill anyone!" Zack exclaimed. "But no matter how much I wish I hadn't, I know I can't be forgiven. If you want to kill me Heather, then do so!"

Suddenly, Zack fell to his knees, growling with agony as blue electricity sparked around his body.

"What's happening?!" Neo asked.

"It must be that device he talked about," Will inferred. "The one that stops him from committing suicide…"

Hope wasn't listening to him. Besides the blue electricity, she was seeing something. It was a figure, one that glowed with light. It was so dim though… she could hardly see it. Then she thought she heard something. It took all of her concentration to catch the whisper.

_"…Save him… please… please help him…!"_

And then the figure was gone, the voice as well.

Hope stepped backwards. Gaston caught sight of her pale face.

"Hope! What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"It's nothing…"

"Don't tell me it's nothing! You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Hope's eyes widened. _Maybe I did…_

By this time, the electricity had faded away, and Zack was forcing himself to rise.

"It looks like you won't be allowed to let me kill you, so I'll have to do it by force." Heather held up her left arm, with the Duel Disk. "Then let us duel, and the loser will be forced to die!"

"Zack! You don't need to accept!" Rue shouted. "Let us handle her!"

"If he declines, he is killed instantly, by the rules of the game," Heather smirked. "And due to the device in his body, it is obvious that he will not be allowed to do that."

"She's right," Zack confirmed. "I have no choice to accept your challenge."

Hope knew she could not stop him. She watched helplessly as they prepared their Duel Disk.

"So you have no Deck Master?" Heather assumed.

"That's correct."

"What a disappointment-this will be easier than I thought." A Soul Monster appeared beside her. He looked like a man, who was wearing a blue t-shirt and shorts of the same color. Over that was a brown vest of some kind. He also had a bandanna tied around his head of the same color, hiding his hair color from view. Around both of his wrists, he had a black wristband. He carried a bow that was as tall as he was.

"Meet Ash, named after the ash tree. He's a Green Magic Bow Wielder."

"Uh… why is he named after a tree?" Rue inquired.

"Because he's a Plant Sub-Type," Heather replied.

"Heather loves flowers," Zack explained. "Andrew and I met her at her flower shop. The way she handled the plants, with care and kindness, was one reason Andrew loved her."

"That was me before," Heather interrupted. "Forget about the past me and focus on what I have become, or else you don't stand a chance!"

Zack: 8000

Heather: 8000

"You may go first," Heather offered.

"Alright then… I lay two cards down, and one monster in defense mode. That ends my turn."

"I will begin with Angel's Gift, so I can draw three cards and discard two. Perfect! I'll rid myself of two Lord Poisons. (1500/1000) Now I summon Rekunga. (1700/500) By removing two Water Sub-Types from my Cemetery, I can activate this creature's effect. It allows me to special summon one Rekunga Token in attack mode. (700/700)"

"What good will that do you?"

"It is more useful than you might think. I will activate Ash's effect. By sacrificing one Plant Sub-Type on my field, one of your magic or trap cards is destroyed. Ash, take out the one to my left!"

The miniature version of Rekunga vanished, turning into an arrow that was glowing with light. Ash grasped it, fitted it onto his bow, and fired, skewering Zack's card.

"My Magic Cylinder is gone."

"Excellent. Rekunga attacks!"

"You have run into my Air Guard Gear Golem. (800/2200)"

Zack: 8000

Heather: 7500

"It is not a big deal. I'll just lay one card down and end my turn."

Zack looked over at the opposing Soul Monster. _None of my magic or trap cards will be safe with that creature on her side. But if she has no monsters, she cannot use its effect anyway. So if I take out all of her monsters, she will either be left open for a direct attack, or my magic and trap cards will be safe._

Zack shook his head. _Why am I doing this? I should just give up. But I know that I can't._

"We don't have all day," Heather pointed out.

"Fine. I summon Cannon Soldier. (1400/1300) And then I equip him with 7 Cards, and choose to raise his attack by 700. (2100/1300) Cannon Soldier attacks your Rekunga."

"I have no need to stop you at the moment. Your attack goes through."

"In that case, I end my turn."

Zack: 8000

Heather: 7100

Heather seemed pleased by what she had drawn. "I will summon Guriguru! (350/300)"

"Is there a point to that pathetic thing besides looking stupid?" Rue asked.

"Actually, yes, there is. I will now play Magic Box of Death! This allows me to choose one monster on your side of the field to destroy. I will choose your Cannon Soldier. Then you are forced to take control of my Guriguru. That triggers its effect. When my opponent gains control of Guriguru, I gain 3000 Life Points."

Zack: 8000

Heather: 10100

"So there was a use to that thing," Rue realized.

"Indeed. I end my turn at that."

Zack glanced at her face down card suspiciously, but decided he had to take a risk. "I sacrifice Guriguru for Needle Bunker. (1700/1700)"

"And I activate my trap card, Tidal Wave. Both of your monsters are destroyed."

"I can do nothing more."

"I will summon Blood Orchis. (1700/1000) With his effect, I special summon Death Dendol. (300/2000) Normally, I could union these two monsters, but I don't think I will. Instead, I will sacrifice Death Dendol so that Ash can use his effect to wipe out your other magic or trap card."

Zack watched as the arrow pierced his last defense. "My Attack Nullification is gone…"

"Blood Orchis attacks directly! I lay one card down, and end my turn."

Zack: 6300

Heather: 10100

Zack examined the card he had drawn. "This will work well. I summon Magical Reflector Reflect Bounder. (1700/1000) Afterwards, I lay one card down and end my turn."

Heather gave the machine a disgusted look. "THAT'S the best thing you have to offer? Well, it's your funeral. I will sacrifice my Blood Orchis for King of Faeries-Oberon. (2200/1500) He attacks your Reflect Bounder."

"A poor decision on your part," Zack stated. "When you attack Reflect Bounder, you take damage equal to your monster's attack. So while I lose 500 Life Points, you lose 2200!"

Zack: 5800

Heather: 7900

"I also activate my trap card, Time Machine! When one of my monsters is destroyed in battle, they are reborn in the same position. So my Reflect Bounder is back."

"How irritating… I will end my turn."

Zack smiled slightly at the card he had drawn. "I will activate Cyclone on your face down card."

"I will chain it. It is my Destruction Ring, and I will use it to destroy Reflect Bounder."

Zack: 4100

Heather: 6200

Zack looked at the one card in his hand. "Then I'll have to hope for the best. I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

Heather smirked as she saw what she had drawn. "Excellent! I summon Thorn Faerie. (300/2000) And then I activate Forced Transfer. We each choose a monster on our field and switch control of it with our opponent. You can have my Thorn Faerie, and I get to see whatever you have." She looked at the defense monster, and gave it a disgusted look. "Cypher Scouter? (1350/1800) Unfortunately, I cannot switch it to attack mode this turn. But Oberon can still attack and destroy Thorn Faerie!"

Zack: 2200

Heather: 6200

"After a monster attacks Thorn Faerie, that monster is forced to go to defense mode. But when Oberon is in face up defense mode, he raises all Plant Sub-Type's attack and defense power by 500. (2700/2000) I will end my turn after that."

Zack shook his head. "I dislike taking gambles, but it seems that I have no choice this time. I will play Black Hole, destroying all of the monsters on the field. Then I end my turn."

Heather growled at her newest card. "I pass…"

"I summon Drillago (1600/1100) and attack with it."

Zack: 2200

Heather: 4600

"I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"I play Jar of Greed, to draw two more cards." Zack considered the options. "I will lay both cards down. And then I will have Drillago attack your defense monster."

"You have attacked my Rigorous Reaper. (1600/100) We both have to discard a random card in our hands. You are lucky you don't have any in your hand at the moment. I'm forced to discard… my Tempest. Drat. Your Drillago also loses 500 attack and defense since it destroyed Rigorous Reaper in battle. (1100/600)"

"It's your turn."

"And I will take full advantage of it. I play Raise Dead on Oberon, and have him attack your Drillago."

Zack: 1100

Heather: 4600

Zack looked at the card he drew, and his eyes widened.

It was another Drillago.

_I… can win now. That was the last card I needed._

_But I don't want to! If I win… Heather will die. I can't! I can't kill the last person that is even close to being a friend! No, I must not win! I have to surrender!_

Then he felt pain spread throughout him, caused by the one thing that was forcing him to go against his will. The device.

His actions were controlled by the device itself now. He simply summoned Drillago, and then flipped Cry of the Living Dead to bring back his other Drillago. And then he flipped over his other card, Limiter Removal.

Heather's face grew pale as she saw the card. "Limiter Removal! I remember now… that card doubles the attack of all Machine Sub-Types on your field. And… no! Since my only monster is above 1600 attack… your Drillagos can attack directly!"

Zack indicated to her. The Drillagos drilled underneath the surprised Oberon, emerging in front of Heather and Ash.

Heather only had time to say one thing.

"Andrew… why did it have to be this way?!"

Then the drills slammed into Heather and Ash, slaying both on the spot.

Zack: 1100

Heather: 0

Zack stepped back from them, his eyes burning with pain and guilt.

"No… no! What… what have… I done?!"

"Zack… it's ok," Larka said softly. "You had no control over your actions."

"Yes, I did! I could have fought it! I'm just as weak as I was before! All I need is pain to convince me to do anything! Why must I be like this?! Why must everyone I care about die?! Why do I have to be the one to carry out their execution?! Why can't I ever be strong?!"

Before anyone else could say anything, Zack fled down the tunnel, soon vanishing from sight.

Hope made her decision hastily. "I'm going after him! Who knows what he will do now!" She ran off after him.

"Wait for me!" Gaston called, following her.

Larka shook her head. "Poor guy… he's had so many tragedies in such a short time."

Draken heard someone coming, and turned. "Zack! What's going on?"

Zack halted, to look over at him. "Stay away from me!" Then he leapt out of the tunnel to run across the hills.

Draken was left staring at the grassy field. "What was that about?"

"Draken!" Hope shouted, running over. "Was Zack here?"

"Just a second ago, yeah. He looked freaked out about something. What's going on?"

"Ask Rue!" she responded, already jumping out of the tunnel. Gaston clambered up as well.

"…Right… how did we get stuck with these weirdos?" Draken asked Darche.

"Why are you asking me? You were the one who wanted to join up with them."

_It's just like before,_ Zack thought as he ran on. _I have no idea what I am doing, where I am going. Why did I strive to live before? Whatever reason I had, it is gone now. Why must I be denied from death like this?!_

"There he is!" Hope gasped as she and Gaston made it over an especially steep hill and continued to pursue him.

_"…He must not… die… his time… is not yet…"_

Hope stopped short. "That voice again!"

"What?" Gaston gave her a strange look.

"Nothing. Come on!" she yelled.

Zack finally began to slow, not from exhaustion but from despair. _I have no reason to continue… what can I do?_

"Zack!" Hope cried. "Zack! Wait up!"

He turned to see her running towards him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as she came up.

"I was worried about you," she said. "Zack…"

"No. I don't want to hear anything about it being ok, because it isn't! I just want my cursed existence to end!" Zack said desperately.

"You can't die!" Hope protested. "Zack, we're your friends. We may not be as good as Andrew was to you, but we are here to help and support you!"

"Then kill me. If you stay with me, I'll eventually turn my blade upon you!"

"You would never do that!" Hope told him. "I know you too well!"

"Well, what did I try to do when I first saw you?"

"That was before we knew each other. Please, don't give up hope!"

"It's too late for that. Just leave me alone." Zack turned to leave.

"Going somewhere?"

Hope and Zack looked over to see the official who had used Prohibition Order on them. His dinosaur Soul Monster was there as well, snarling at them.

Hope was speechless for a moment, before running over to Zack and trying to pull him away. "Zack, come on! We can't take him on by ourselves! Let's get back to the others for help!"

"You go," Zack said. "I'm not leaving."

"Feeling sorry for yourself, cyborg?" the official taunted. "Very well, stay and die. Run off and play games with your friends, little girl. I have business to take care of."

Hope glared at him, and moved over to Gaston. "I can't leave Zack by himself. Gaston, I need you to run back and get help! Please, don't argue. Just go!"

Gaston stared at her before nodding. "If that's what you want." Then he turned and ran.

"Agro! Don't let him get away!" the official ordered.

The dinosaur ran at Gaston, but Hope was ready. She reached down and snatched up a rock about the size of a baseball, and hurled it at the beast. Her aim was perfect; it struck it in the eye. The dinosaur, howling in pain and rage, turned its attention to Hope. Before she could even move, the dinosaur lunged at her, teeth bared.

"What am I going to do?!" Claire said desperately for at least the tenth time that day.

Max was still lying in bed, in a coma. Olympion was still snarling occasionally, but that was the least of Claire's problems.

"Oh, Brandi's going to be so depressed! There's got to be a way to help Max, there just has to! But… how…?" Overcome by exhaustion from no sleep for the past few days and tears of despair, Claire finally collapsed to the floor.

Olympion wasn't the only one to hear her hit the ground. On the bed, Max's hand moved.


	22. Fight for Freedom from Prohibition

Summer vacation! I can update now! YAY!

John: Thanks!

Demon Fan: Thanks again!

**Chapter 22: Fight for Freedom from Prohibition**

Gaston ran as fast as he possibly could, his heart pounding with each step. In the distance, he heard a wild scream that could only have come from the opposing Soul Monster. And then there was a cry of alarm.

He stopped for a second. "Hope!" Then he shook his head. "There's no way I can help her against that Soul Monster. The best thing I can do now is get help!" Then he ran on.

-----

"You doing ok Brandi?" Miles asked.

The group was walking down the tunnel. They had decided to wait for Hope, Gaston, and Zack at the entrance. Brandi, Mana, Gen, and Fell were coming as well, even with their injuries.

"Of course I am," Brandi retorted. "My wounds are healing well, thank you very much."

"Just asking," Miles muttered. "No need to bite my head off."

Rue was the first to arrive at the tunnel, and looked around worriedly. "Draken isn't here."

"Wrong!" a voice called from above. "I'm out here!"

They climbed out to find Draken and Darche looking at the fields.

"Hey Draken, did Zack, Hope, and Gaston run by here?" Rue asked.

"They did. Care to explain what is going on? Zack was acting really weird, and Hope was in too much of a hurry to tell me why."

"It's a long story," Larka sighed. "We can explain later, but we had better find them first. It could be dangerous out here."

"Which way did they go?" Will inquired.

"I have no idea," Draken admitted.

Malon suddenly cocked his left ear, and barked.

"What's wrong?" Larka asked him.

Daine was the one who answered her though. "It's Gaston. He's coming this way."

At that moment, Gaston came over the hill, charging down it towards them.

"Gaston! What's the big hurry?" Neo questioned.

Gaston halted in front of them, panting. "Official… one with Prohibition Order… dinosaur Soul Monster… attacking Hope and Zack!"

Rue swore. "That's just what we need now. Normally I'd be excited to get rid of this guy, but we are in no condition to fight him!"

Draken looked at the sky thoughtfully. "Darche, could you call over a Blue Eyes White Dragon?"

"No problem." Darche held up his sword as it began to glow blue.

"That won't work!" Miles protested. "That official has a Dragon Sealing Jar. The Blue Eyes will be trapped before it can even attack!"

"Drat," Draken muttered. "I hadn't thought of that."

Malon snarled. Larka looked over at him. "Leave it to the two of us. We'll take care of that Jar."

"Great! Hey, Rue, get over here. This is the plan." He quickly whispered some words to Rue, who nodded.

"That should work," Rue agreed.

Suddenly, a roar filled the air. A Blue Eyes White Dragon gracefully landed on the field.

"I'll go on the Blue Eyes!" Draken announced. "Darche, come with me. Everyone else, follow us!"

They mounted the Blue Eyes, and Draken spoke softly to it. The dragon hissed in response, and then took off, flying high into the sky.

-----

Hope had fallen backwards in shock, giving a cry of alarm as she tried to shield her face with her arms as the dinosaur sprung.

Zack leapt in front of her, his left hand pulsing with electricity. As the Tyrannosaurus descended upon them, Zack managed to stop his jaws from closing over them by grasping the top and bottom of its snout with his hands. It took all of his strength to keep the dinosaur at bay.

"Get away!" he yelled to Hope.

She jumped up, and retreated a few feet. When Zack saw that she was far enough back, he let go of the monster's jaw with his left hand. He plunged the charged fist right into its mouth.

The explosion and shriek combined was deafening. When it was finally safe to remove her hands from her ears, Hope looked up.

Smoke was coming from the dinosaur's mouth as it gave little cries of outrage and pain.

"Agro! Attack him! He's much weaker than you, especially after that!"

Hope was alarmed to see that the official was right. Zack was not harmed by the explosion, but he seemed to be much more weary than before.

"Damn it…" he muttered. "I didn't have enough time to charge. I'm already too weak to fight…"

The official seemed amused. "Don't kill the cyborg just yet. Just disable him. Then slaughter the girl!"

The Soul Monster swiftly slammed its tail into Zack's chest. He went flying, crashing onto the ground.

"Zack!" Hope cried. She tried to run over to him, but was forced to jump away from the dinosaur's tail as it came down again.

"It's no use," the official sneered. "You have no way to fight Agro. Just surrender, and perhaps I'll let you live."

"As if I would!" Hope snarled, backing away from Agro.

The official shrugged. "Alright then. No big deal. Agro, she's all yours."

At that moment, a blast of energy slammed into the back of the Soul Monster. It turned around, roaring in rage, to see a Blue Eyes White Dragon descending onto the field. A boy and his Soul Monster leapt off.

"Draken!" Hope exclaimed. "And Darche!"

"I'm glad we weren't too late," Draken stated. Then he looked around. "Um… we weren't, were we? Where's Zack?"

"I'm here," Zack reassured, staggering over.

"Are you ok?" Hope asked.

"Yes… although I wish I wasn't."

Draken kept his eyes on the fight. "Tell me about it later. We have bigger problems at the moment!"

The Blue Eyes White Dragon had flown high into the air, causing the bite Agro had aimed at its leg to miss. Growling furiously, the dinosaur kept snapping, but the swifter dragon had no trouble avoiding him.

"Enough of these games," the official said. He pulled out a Dragon Sealing Jar, and held it up. A huge jar appeared, a vortex pulling the Blue Eyes towards it. The dragon roared in protest, struggling to get away, but it was slowly losing the battle to stay away from it.

A brown blur sped up the hill. Before the official could react, Malon had leapt at him, seizing the Dragon Sealing Jar card in his jaws before running back to Larka. Before anyone could realize what had happened, Larka had taken the card and torn it in half.

The jar broke apart into several fragments. Instantly freed, the Blue Eyes soared away from Agro, who had been trying a sneak attack from the behind.

"Great timing," Draken told her, and the rest of the group. Even Brandi had managed to make it up the hill, carrying Mana with her.

"Thanks," Larka replied. "But that doesn't solve our biggest problem. How are we going to take down that Soul Monster?"

"Leave it to Ruecian," Rue told her. "You ready Draken?"

"Heck yeah!" was his response. Then he called up to the dragon. "Blue Eyes! Come on down! Lend our friend some strength!"

The Blue Eyes White Dragon landed right next to Ruecian, a blue aura coming from its body. Ruecian's sword absorbed the light, causing the blade to glow the same color. Then Ruecian charged.

"Is it my imagination… or is he faster than usual?" Will inquired as they watched him rush at Agro.

"You're not imagining it," Rue informed him. "Do you remember what Black Paladin's effect is?"

"I do!" Hope exclaimed. "It has the same effect as Buster Blader-for every Dragon Sub-Type on the field or in the Cemetery, he gets 500 more attack points."

"Well, that's what's happening here," Draken explained. "My Blue Eyes friend lent Ruecian a little bit of his power. It should make a considerable difference."

He wasn't exaggerating. Ruecian leapt up and brought his sword down, aimed at Agro's head. If the dinosaur hadn't moved, he would have been slain instantly. As it was, the sword sliced his side open. Gallons of blood poured from the cut as Agro cried out.

Ruecian showed no mercy to his victim. He lunged again, but then froze.

Standing between Agro and Ruecian was a barrier of light that shifted several times. For a minute, Hope thought she saw a man, with a dove perched on his shoulder… but then it was gone.

"I've activated Emissary of Peace," the official announced. "No monster above 1500 attack is allowed to attack as long as this card is on the field-or at least, that is how it works in the game."

"So we're at a stalemate," Will concluded.

"Let me guess: to resolve this, we'll have to duel. This is happening way too many times-it's a conspiracy, I'm sure of it!" Miles stated.

"Whether it happens one or a million times, it is the only thing to resort to now," Will pointed out. "Look on the bright side. In a duel, we stand a chance. But fighting that dinosaur with several support cards is considerably dangerous."

"That's true," Rue admitted.

"So, who will accept my challenge?" the official asked.

"I will," Draken volunteered. "It's been a while since I've had a serious duel. By the way, who are you?"

"Call me Ian," the official answered. "Agro, my Soul Monster, is a Black Tyrano. And yours is that Paladin of White Dragon, I assume?"

"You assume correctly. Meet Darche. I'm Draken, by the way."

"Oh, I already knew that," Ian smirked. "Don't bother asking why though-we officials prefer to keep our methods of receiving knowledge to ourselves."

"Typical," Gen muttered.

"The stakes?" Draken asked.

"If I win, you are all brought into custody. If you win, the Prohibition Order is lifted, and I will let you leave. Fair enough?"

"It'll do. Let's begin!"

-----

When Claire woke up, she could immediately tell something wasn't right. But she didn't know what.

In a few seconds, it hit her: she was on the bottom bunk bed Max had been sleeping on. She sat up swiftly, banging her head on one of the wooden beams that supported the bed above her, causing her to yelp in pain. When the pain was finally down to a manageable level, she forced herself to get out of the bed, and looked around.

Then she saw Max, sitting against the wall. On him was an Envoyant Machine and Duel Disk. Olympion was nowhere to be seen.

Claire could only say one thing.

"What the heck happened?"

-----

Draken: 8000

Ian: 8000

"Allow me to start," Ian said. "I'll begin with Sealing Swords of Light, so that you cannot attack for three turns. Then I will lay two cards down, and end my turn."

"No monsters… but with Sealing Swords of Light, I can see why," Draken inferred. "I'll lay one monster in defense mode, and one other card."

"I activate Cyclone on it!"

"So much for Attack Nullification," Draken sighed. "I'll end my turn anyway."

Ian smirked. "Good, because I have the perfect card to play. I draw, and then activate Agro's Deck Master ability. By paying 500 Life Points, I get to search my deck for a Dinosaur or Reptile Sub-Type and add it to my hand. Of course, I can only use this once per turn, but it is very helpful."

Draken: 8000

Ian: 7500

"Very helpful?! That's so cheap it isn't funny!" Rue exclaimed. "Well, Olympion continues to hold the position of the cheapest ability… but still!"

"Olympion? Who's that?" Larka asked.

"Max's Soul Monster," Hope answered. "But he was gone when we found Max." She showed them the empty Soul Card. "I found this in Max's pocket, and have been hanging on to it for him."

Miles seemed unusually serious. "Maybe that's why he lost his memories? Because his Soul Monster was…?"

"We don't know what happened to Olympion," Hope replied. "But what we do know is that Max had severe injuries. That is why he got amnesia, or so the doctor thinks…"

"IF I MAY CONTINUE?!" Ian snarled.

"Nobody's stopping you," Gaston responded.

"I will special summon Fleet-Footed Gilasaurus! (1400/400) Why special summon, you ask? Well, his effect states that I can choose to special summon him, but if I do, then you get to special summon a monster from your Cemetery."

"But I don't have any monsters in my Cemetery," Draken pointed out.

"That's why I wanted to take advantage of Gilasaurus' effect now! After special summoning him, I can sacrifice him to summon Dark Triceratops! (2400/1500)"

Draken stared at the dinosaur that emerged. "Right now, I'm glad that I have a defense monster."

"You probably won't be, once you see what Dark Triceratops can do! He attacks your monster!"

"Dol Dora's been destroyed. (1500/1200)"

"And you lose 1200 Life Points."

"What the hell? Why?"

"Because my Dark Triceratops does damage even when your monster is in defense mode."

"I should have seen that coming," Draken muttered.

Draken: 6800

Ian: 7500

"I'm done with my turn."

"At your end phase, my Dol Dora is special summoned to the field in face up defense mode with 1000 attack and defense! (1000/1000) I'll summon Kaiser Seahorse. (1700/1650) After that, I end my turn."

"I'll use Agro's effect to get another monster."

Draken: 6800

Ian: 7000

"Now I summon Charging Swordhorn Beast! (1400/1200) My Swordhorn Beast will attack Dol Dora! That also causes you to lose 400 Life Points, due to its effect."

"So it basically has the same effect as the Triceratops?" Larka realized.

"Exactly. Now my Triceratops will destroy Kaiser Seahorse!"

Draken: 5700

Ian: 7000

"Time for a comeback," Draken stated. "I activate Raise Dead, to bring back Kaiser Seahorse! Then I sacrifice Kaiser Seahorse to summon my Blue Eyes White Dragon! (3000/2500)"

"Wait a minute!" Ian protested. "The Blue Eyes White Dragon requires two sacrifices!"

"Not with Kaiser Seahorse. He makes it so that he counts for two sacrifices for any Light Main-Type monster. Now I activate Stomping Crash, which destroys your magic or trap card and deals 500 damage to you."

"Curses! My Avatar of Apophis!"

Draken: 5700

Ian: 6500

"My Blue Eyes White Dragon attacks your Triceratops! Then I end my turn."

Draken: 5700

Ian: 5900

Ian smirked when he saw what he had drawn. "I lay one card facedown, and summon Guranadora! (1900/1700) When I summon, reverse summon, or special summon this monster, I get 1000 Life Points."

Draken: 5700

Ian: 6900

"What's the catch?" Draken inquired.

"When Guranadora is destroyed and sent to the Cemetery, I lose 2000 Life Points."

"Oh, then it sucks worse than I thought," Draken commented.

"You'll see why I use this card soon enough. I pay 500 Life Points to add a card to my hand, switch my Swordhorn Beast to defense, and then end my turn."

Draken: 5700

Ian: 6400

"I hate to risk your trap, but it's too tempting to pass up! My Blue Eyes will attack your Guranadora!"

"I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force, destroying your Blue Eyes White Dragon."

"Damn it," Draken growled. "I will lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"I pay 500 Life Points once more to get another monster from my deck."

Draken: 5700

Ian: 5900

"Now I play Super Evolution Medicine. By sacrificing one Reptile Sub-Type, I can special summon a Dinosaur Sub-Type from my hand. So I sacrifice Guranadora to call forth Black Tyrano! (2600/1800)"

"So that's why you didn't care about Guranadora's negative effect," Draken realized.

"Exactly. Now I switch Charging Swordhorn Beast to attack mode, and summon Hyper Hammer Head. (1500/1200) Now I will attack with my Swordhorn Beast!"

"You've run into my Sapphire Dragon, (1900/1600)" Draken announced.

Draken: 5700

Ian: 5700

"I'll deal with that pathetic thing next turn. For now, I will attack directly with my Black Tyrano!"

"What?! How can you?!" Draken protested.

The dinosaur's tail went flying right by the Sapphire Dragon to slam into Draken, causing him to smash into the ground.

Draken: 3100

Ian: 5700

"That's my Black Tyrano's effect. As long as the only cards you have on the field are monsters in defense mode, my Black Tyrano can attack directly. Now I will play Stumble. This permanent magic card causes all monsters to go to defense mode when they are summoned. Then I lay one card down, and end."

Draken looked at his next card. "You've got a powerful force, but I have my ways of countering it! I'll play Lord of Dragons, (1200/1100) and then Dragon Calling Horn! This allows me to special summon another Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"That was pointless," Ian sneered. "Your Lord of Dragons and Blue Eyes are switched to defense mode because of Stumble!"

"You think so? Watch and learn! I activate Burst Stream of Destruction. This magic card can only be activated when I have a Blue Eyes on the field. It destroys all monsters on the opponent's side of the field!"

"No!" Ian cried as the Blue Eyes attacked with a blast of blue energy. Everyone shielded their eyes from the bright light. When it faded, all of Ian's monsters were gone.

"Now I switch Sapphire Dragon to attack mode and attack you!"

"Not so fast!" Ian said. "I activate Magic Cylinder, dealing 1900 damage to you."

Draken: 1200

Ian: 5700

"Not good," Draken muttered. "I end my turn."

"I'll pay 500 Life Points once more."

Draken: 1200

Ian: 5200

"Now I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"I'll switch Lord of Dragons and my Blue Eyes to attack mode! Sapphire Dragon attacks your set!"

"It's my Death Gremlin! (1600/1800) His effect allows me to put one card from my Cemetery back into my deck and then shuffle it. I'll choose Black Tyrano."

"Figures," Draken sighed. "My Blue Eyes and Lord of Dragons will attack directly."

Draken: 1200

Ian: 1000

"I pay 500 Life Points one last time!"

Draken: 1200

Ian: 500

"Can you say desperate?" Miles commented.

"First, I activate Jar of Greed. Next, I play Magic Shard Evacuation! That allows me to discard two cards from my hand to recover one magic card from my Cemetery! Then I activate a Cyclone on my own Stumble. After that, I summon another Hyper Hammer Head. (1500/1200) The Hyper Hammer Head will attack Lord of Dragons."

Draken: 900

Ian: 500

"My turn? I'll have my Blue Eyes attack and destroy Hyper Hammer Head!"

"I activate Emissary of Harmony, saving my Hyper Hammer Head. Also, since you attacked it and it didn't destroy your Blue Eyes, your monster is sent back to your hand!"

"That could be a problem," Draken admitted. "I'll lay one card down and switch Sapphire Dragon to defense mode."

"And that's where it ends for you!" Ian said triumphantly. "I summon Killer Snake (300/250) and then sacrifice it for Super Evolution Medicine's effect! Come forth Black Tyrano!"

"Damn it, I'm dead," Draken stated.

"Unfortunately, my Black Tyrano can't attack you directly, because you have a magic or trap card on the field. So I'll attack Sapphire Dragon instead! Then Hyper Hammer Head attacks!"

Draken grinned. "Nice try, but you aren't going to get away with it! I activate Cry of the Living Dead, to bring back my Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"No!" Ian shouted.

"And now that it is my turn, I can simply order my Blue Eyes to attack Hyper Hammer Head, winning me the game!"

Draken: 900

Ian: 0

To Hope's surprise, Ian seemed calm about his loss. "You children are so naïve. You really think I would follow my end of the bargain? Agro, attack!"

Before they could react, the dinosaur leapt forward, throwing Draken and Darche aside with his tail, and then tried to bite Rue, as he was the next closest person. Ruecian, seeing the danger he was in, leapt in front of Agro. Welcoming the chance of revenge, Agro grabbed Ruecian. Only his armor and the power boost from the Blue Eyes saved him from dying instantly. Even so, Agro's teeth went right through several weaker spots of his armor.

"Son of a…!" Rue leapt at Ian, but was knocked back by Agro's tail.

Before anyone else could try anything, Agro suddenly dropped Ruecian, with a roar of pain that caused everyone to wince. The dinosaur tried to turn around to confront the new enemy, but it was too late. Agro's head flew off his body, severed.

"What?" was all that Ian had a chance to say before the Soul Monster descended upon him, plunging his sword right through Ian's body. Hope saw the blade emerge from the other end of Ian's body before the attacker drew it back out.

"Olympion!" Hope exclaimed. "But how?"

Olympion gave a violent snarl in response.

"He's just as friendly as ever," Gaston sighed.

"Hold on. If he's here, then that must mean…" Hope's eyes widened. "I can see someone else coming!"

Everyone turned to see the person, who seemed to be limping somewhat.

Brandi grew pale. "Wait a minute. Isn't that..." She stopped when the person was in full view. "Max?"

He ran his eyes over the group. "How did everyone get injured? And what's with the new people?"

Brandi hardly dared to hope. "What did you say?"

"I just noticed everyone seemed a little beaten up, especially you sis," he replied.

Brandi ran forward, embracing Max, not even trying to conceal the tears that escaped her eyes. "Max! Thank god you're ok!" Then she fainted from exhaustion.

Max looked at the others, bewildered. "Did I miss something?"

-----

"Matt Leo, we have several eye witness accounts that back up your claims," the judge in Supreme Court said. "And your evidence is very convincing. But we will need time to make our decision. We need to interview certain people, and make the final ruling. Come in at nine AM tomorrow, and we will rule our decision."

"Yes sir," Matt replied respectfully.

There was no reason to stay. He left the court.

_There's nothing else I can do now, except hope that everything turns out for the best._

To be continued…


	23. Concerns

Whoa, two in one day! I'm on a writing roll!

**Chapter 23: Concerns**

Hope broke the awkward silence. "Max… are you back to normal?"

"Back to normal? What's that supposed to mean?" Max inquired.

"I'd take that as a yes," Will stated.

"Can someone explain what the hell is going on here?" Max said impatiently.

"In a minute," Draken replied. "We need to get back to cover first."

Max stared at Draken disbelievingly. "Whoa, wait a minute. Aren't you dead?"

"I was… can we discuss this later?" Draken requested, looking over at Rue and Ruecian.

The swordsman's armor was punctured in several locations, and he was still bleeding from the areas where he had been bitten. Rue was at his side.

"Ruecian? Please, say something! Or if you don't want to talk, at least tell me somehow that you're alive!"

Ruecian weakly tried to stand, but collapsed instantly.

"Don't try to move," Rue ordered, and then he looked over at the others. "We need to tear up that Prohibition Order."

"That's right," Hope realized. "Hang on." Steeling herself, she reached into the bloody corpse's pocket and brought out the magic card, tearing it in half as she did so. "There, that should take care of things."

Rue immediately brought out a Red Potion and used it on Ruecian, who was barely able to drink the liquid. Although the change was small, Hope noticed that the wounds seemed to not be bleeding as fiercely as before.

"It's no use," Rue stated, shaking his head. "These injuries can't be healed with cards alone. You guys can go to Hope's house, but I'm not leaving until Ruecian has healed."

"Why not bring him there?" Larka asked.

"The Red Potions may not seem to be doing a lot of good now, but if he keeps taking them then he should heal a lot quicker," Rue explained. "Besides, he's too weak to teleport now."

"About how long do you think it would take him to heal?" Will inquired.

"If I kept giving him Red Potions… he would be able to leave tomorrow morning. Maybe he wouldn't be fully recovered, but he would be well enough to teleport out."

"We can stay for one more night," Draken decided.

"We won't leave until tomorrow," Will agreed.

"Thanks guys," Rue replied.

"First things first, we need to get back to that tunnel," Miles stated. "So shall we get going?"

"I'm lost," Max complained.

"Don't worry, we'll catch you up on things," Will assured. "Can you carry Brandi?"

"Of course."

"I'll carry you Mana, if that's ok?" Larka inquired.

"Sure."

"Darche and I can help Ruecian," Gaston volunteered. Darche nodded in agreement.

"Come on Gen," Miles said. "I'll be your support again, I suppose. Fell, you need help?"

"I'm fine," Fell stated, walking off in the direction of the tunnel.

"What a talker," Miles muttered.

Hope looked over at Zack. "Zack… are you ok now?"

The whole time they had been talking, Zack had seemed distracted. He turned to her. "No. I doubt I ever will be."

Hope shook her head sadly. "Well, can you come with us now? If not for yourself, then for us. We care about you, and… well, I have another reason. Please, just stay with us for now."

Zack sighed. "Alright. For now."

The slow procession made their way down the hill. Although Max was still limping slightly, he was able to keep up with the others.

"When are we going to get to this place?" Max questioned.

"Soon. It should be nearby," Will told him.

Neo looked confused. "It's odd. I thought we were closer to it. Still, we should be there any minute... AHHHHH!"

Distracted as he was, Neo failed to notice the hole in the ground until it was too late. With a yell of surprise, Neo fell straight into it.

"Good going Neo!" Will called down sarcastically. "You found the tunnel!"

"It's not funny!" Neo shouted back. "How did this hole get here?"

"That must be how Heather entered," Draken realized. He reached down and picked up a magic card that was laying on the ground. "Miraculous Finding. That explains. Neo, get back out here, I'm going to seal that hole!"

After Neo climbed out, Draken tore the card in half. The tunnel instantly sealed itself off.

"Well, that works," Miles commented as they continued on.

They finally arrived at the tunnel entrance. Gaston held up a hand. "Hold on. Darche, will you come with me?"

The two Soul Monsters jumped down, and in a few minutes were back. Gaston carried the corpse of Heather, while Darche was holding Ash.

Daine and Malon instantly began digging two more graves. After a few minutes, they were ready. Darche gently set Ash into one, and Malon was soon kicking the dirt back onto it. Gaston laid Heather into the other grave.

"Hold on a minute," Zack requested. He gave Heather one last look, and then shook his head. "She wasn't like this… the need for revenge made her a whole new person." Then he backed off to let Daine and Malon bury her too.

When the two Soul Monsters were done, the group descended into the tunnel and walked back to the very end. Gaston and Darche leaned Ruecian against the wall, while Max laid Brandi nearby the wall. Mana chose to stay with her, while Rue started trying to heal Ruecian. The others sat down too. Max brought forth a Dark Piercing Light and activated it, lighting up the room.

"So now can someone explain what's going on here?" Max asked.

"All you had to do was ask," Miles joked.

"Hope, why don't you explain?" Will suggested. "After all, you were the one who found him."

Hope nodded. "Alright then… Max, I found you eleven days ago, in an alley. You were unconscious and injured badly. Olympion was nowhere nearby. I called an ambulance, and went to the hospital with you. When you woke up, the doctor discovered that you had amnesia. Oh, speaking of Olympion, here you go." Hope handed Max Olympion's Soul Card. "I was keeping this for you until you got better."

He accepted the card. "Amnesia?"

"Yeah. You don't remember?"

"The last thing I can remember… I was walking down an alley with Olympion, and then I saw someone. A man, wearing a white cloak that concealed his features. He wore a huge, gold cross."

"A Commander of Heaven!" Rue inferred. "So Miles was right…"

"Of course I'm right," Miles said. "You doubted me?"

"Possibly," Rue teased. "So what happened after that, Max?"

"After that…" Max shook his head. "I have no idea. Olympion doesn't know either. It's like someone has taken our memory…"

"That's really odd," Will commented. "And you don't remember anything during the period of time you had amnesia?"

"Nothing at all," Max replied.

"Where was Olympion?" Hope inquired.

_I woke up to find myself in a forest, with heavy injuries. My sense of direction was off as well. When I saw a newspaper that said Max was suspected to be in __Illinois__, I went there, and soon found him._

"What the hell was that?!" Miles exclaimed.

"Olympion talks telepathically," Max explained. "So what's been happening while I've been out of it?"

"We made new friends," Rue said.

"I can see that," Max responded. "I know you, Draken, but how the hell are you alive now?"

"God brought me back to life, as he brought you and the others back," Draken answered.

"Ok, that's great, but who are these others?"

Miles decided to introduce himself first. "I'm Miles, and my Soul Monster is a White Thief. His name is Gen. I was a Commander of Heaven. I stole all of their decks, got my own head served on a platter in a duel, and proceeded to join their group, becoming a traitor to the Commanders of Heaven. Nice to meet you."

"So basically, you're the new joker of the group," Max concluded.

"Yeah, I am… hey, wait a minute!" Miles shook his head. "Geez, that quiet, sensitive guy I knew has suddenly turned into a jackass."

"I love you too," Max replied, turning to Zack. "You aren't human, are you?"

"At one time, I was. Now I'm a cyborg. I was hired by the Commanders of Heaven to slay all of the people in this group, but I lost in a duel. Hope spared my life, and without anywhere to go I just decided to stay with them. I'm called Zack. I have no Soul Monster."

Max raised an eyebrow. "A cyborg… that's something you don't see every day." He looked over at Larka. "And you are…?"

"Larka. My Soul Monster is Lost Dog Malon, Malon for short. I'm glad to see that you are better," she smiled. "Hope discovered my brother and me in a park when we were injured. We have no home, and with the lack of anything to do we decided to try and help as we could."

"And who would your brother be?"

Larka indicated to Fell. "His name is Fell. His Soul Monster is a Mad Dog of Darkness, but he prefers to be called Daine."

Max stared into Fell's eyes, who gazed back without showing any expression.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Fell said softly, with a threatening hint in his voice.

"Yeah-I don't like you," Max responded shortly.

Larka broke the uncomfortable silence. "So… you want to know about the Commanders of Heaven?"

"Yeah. What kind of a conspiracy is this? Is there a group for every religion out there?"

"We really don't know much about them," Hope frowned. "They have often tried to kill us; why, we have no idea. They even joined up with the officials to try and arrest us."

"Nice situation we have here," Max said sarcastically.

"Indeed," Will nodded. "Despite several close calls, we've survived. That duelist that Olympion killed-Ian was his name-had used a Prohibition Order on us, making it so that support cards were off limits. Also, we couldn't leave Teknisk Wereld. So for the past few nights, we haven't been able to exit. We're lucky that it wasn't any longer, or else we'd be dead from dehydration."

"We can give you more specific details later, but we need rest now," Hope told him. "I don't blame Brandi for collapsing-she was hurt pretty badly, and she hasn't gotten a chance to rest for quite some time. In fact, none of us have. And many of us have been injured. Gen was caught in an explosion, Fell blasted by a cannon, Mana hit by a bullet, Ruecian bit by Agro, and Brandi exhausted herself fighting the officials."

Max got up. "Then Olympion and I will keep watch. I feel fine, except for some injuries that I have no idea how I acquired."

"I'll tell you later," Hope assured. "Thanks for volunteering."

"It isn't a problem."

Mana had been silent up to this point, but now she remembered something important. "Hey, Max! When you were found unconscious, most of your cards were gone. Matt rebuilt your deck." She reached into Brandi's pocket, brought forth the deck, and handed it to him.

"Oh, thanks. I was wondering where it went." Then Max and Olympion walked off down the tunnel.

"Let's get some rest," Will agreed, laying down. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm extremely tired."

Soon after, everyone was asleep, except for one mischievous pup…

Malon couldn't fall asleep. He whined softly, trying to close his eyes and relax, but it was no use. He wanted to play more than sleep. He got up, and with a soft yip, nudged Larka.

Larka muttered something before turning over. Malon could tell she was asleep.

Malon's ears drooped as he stared at his friend, wondering what to do. Then he remembered Max, who had gone outside.

Giving Larka one last look, he ran outside.

Larka slowly opened her eyes, hearing a soft patter of claws. Looking around, she saw that Malon was nowhere nearby. She quickly got up and went down the hall way.

-----

Max sighed, looking off into the distance, where the sun had just set.

"Nice view, but I'm in no mood to enjoy it," Max commented to Olympion. The Soul Monster had no response to that.

A small yelp caught his attention. Max turned around to see Malon jump from the tunnel, to land right in front of him.

"Hi there," Max said, petting Malon. "Why did you come out here?"

Malon yipped a few times, and ran a few feet back, wagging his tail.

"You wanted to play with someone?" Max realized.

Malon barked in response.

"Malon! What do you think you're doing?" Larka scolded, coming out from the tunnel too. Malon whined softly at her. "Max is trying to keep watch, and he can't focus with you trying to play with him!"

"It isn't a problem," Max interrupted. He scratched Malon under the chin, and the little dog's tail began wagging almost too fast to see. "I like dogs a lot."

"I'm glad to hear it, or else Malon would probably drive you insane." Larka paused for a minute, before asking the question that had been bothering her. "Why don't you like my brother? I might be able to understand if you had gotten to know him, but you just met him."

Max shrugged. "Just instinct. He reminds me of myself when I was younger-and that isn't something to be proud of."

Larka stared at him. "Something's wrong, isn't it? You seem distracted. What's troubling you?"

Max sighed. "Look at me. I've been completely useless in fighting these Commanders of Heaven. My own sister fights to a state of collapsing, and what have I done? Lain in bed, being no help whatsoever. One man took out both Olympion and me. I failed, because I was weak…"

"Weak? No way," Larka said firmly. "I have just met you, yet I can tell you are strong. Only if you keep telling yourself that you are weak will you really be weak."

When she saw that he didn't look convinced, she tried another tactic. "You haven't dueled in some time, right? Maybe you just need practice. Let's duel now, without Duel Disks or Deck Masters. I've heard that you are a great duelist, and I'd like to see it for myself."

Max shrugged. "Alright then. But prepare to be disappointed."

Max: 8000

Larka: 8000

"How about you go first?" Larka suggested.

"If that's what you want. I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"I'll start off by summoning Blade Knight. (1600/1000) Then I play Shine Spark, which is a field magic card. It raises all Light Main-Type's attack by 500, and lowers their defense by 400. (2100/600) Blade Knight attacks!"

"It's my X-E-N-O. (200/100) Its reverse effect allows me to take control of one of your monsters."

"Sorry, but as long as Blade Knight is the only monster on my field, all of the reverse effects of the monsters he destroys are negated. I'll lay two cards down, and end my turn."

Max looked at his card. "Another monster in defense mode, and then I end my turn."

"I'll summon Volt Girl. (2400/400) Blade Knight attacks your defense monster."

"My Gil Gars… (1800/1200)"

"Volt Girl attacks directly."

Max: 5600

Larka: 8000

"I lay one monster in defense mode, and that's it."

Larka couldn't take it anymore. "What's with you? All you've been doing is playing monsters in defense! You aren't even trying!"

"Why bother trying when I know I'll fail?" Max stated.

"You will fail if you keep believing that you will! Whatever happened between you and that Commander was not your fault! I'm sure of it! Now start believing in yourself!"

"I have no reason to," Max told her. "Why should I believe in myself? How does it benefit me?"

"Anyone can do anything they put their mind to, including you!"

"But why would I want to?"

The last amount of patience Larka had was gone. "Because it benefits to you! Even if you don't want to have the best life possible, then you could at least do it for your sister, and Hope!"

"Hope? What does she have to do with this?"

"Well, you love her, don't you?"

Max was caught off guard at the accusation. "What? Whoa, wait a second. Where did you get the idea that I was in love with her?"

"You said so yourself! I didn't mean to overhear it, but when Hope asked you about why you saved her from Zack, you said you loved her!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

That was when Larka remembered. "Oh, I see. That was when you had amnesia. Hope was nearly killed when Zack attacked her with his switch blade, but you tackled her to the ground, causing him to miss. You saved her life. When she asked why, I overheard-don't worry, I'm the only one that did overhear-you say that you loved her."

Max shook his head slowly. "Impossible. Why would I say that? There's no reason for me to say that…"

"Really? You don't care about her at all? You wouldn't care is she had died on that day?"

"Maybe a little, but to the point of love?"

"I think you're hiding your true feelings to yourself. When you had amnesia, you went to Illinois, instead of South Carolina. Why? Because Hope lives there. And you only recognized one person when you had amnesia. You didn't remember her name, but you recognized Hope." Larka stared at him. "I think you care about Hope a lot more than you show."

_That can't be,_ Max thought. _I've only cared about my mother, father, and sister, nobody else. Rue and Will could be called friends, maybe, Matt is of course a friend too, and Olympion is connected with me through a bond that all people and their Soul Monsters have. But love? Why would I love Hope? Normally, I would have dismissed the idea as ludicrous. But… something is making me hesitate to ignore this thought…_

"Max, you're back to your true self. The only problem is that you have lost your confidence. For the sake of the others, get back into gear! I'll summon X-Head Cannon. (2300/1100) Blade Knight attacks the set."

"My Demon Soldier. (1900/1500)"

Volt Girl and X-Head Cannon attack too."

Max: 900

Larka: 8000

Max looked at the card he had drawn. "So you want me to fight back? Very well, but you will regret it. I'll start by playing Black Hole, destroying all of your monsters. Then I activate Cyclone on the card to your left."

"My Holy Barrier-Mirror Force…"

"Next, I play Raise Dead, on your Volt Girl. Then I sacrifice her for Great Demon Gaazetto. (0/0) His attack is double the amount of the monster I used to sacrifice for it. (4800/0) Then I equip my Gaazetto with Demon Axe, raising his attack by 1000. (5800/0)Then I'll remove X-E-N-O, Gil Gars, and Demon Soldier to special summon Dark Necrophia. (2200/2800) Now both of my monsters attack."

Max: 900

Larka: 0

"Well, I asked for it!" Larka laughed. "They're right-you are a good player. You mislead me by just playing monsters in defense mode!"

"I wasn't trying to," Max shrugged. "I wasn't planning anything… you gave me a reason to fight back. Thanks for helping."

"I was happy to," she told him. "Malon! Let's get back inside. We need some sleep!"

Malon yawned, further emphasizing her point. They climbed down.

"Good night!" Larka called as they left.

"Same to you," Max replied.

-----

Larka tried to enter silently, but was not quiet enough. Fell looked over at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she whispered. "Did I wake you up?"

"…No."

"What are you doing up? You must be tired."

"…Just can't sleep."

"Were you worried about where I had went? I would have told you, but I thought you needed some rest."

Fell shrugged.

"Is there something you want to talk about?"

"…No." He closed his eyes, leaning against the wall.

"Alright then. Good night, brother." She laid down, and was soon asleep, Malon at her side.

-----

Max rubbed his arms as the wind blew by again. "I should have brought a sweater… Olympion, I'm going down into the tunnel entrance. Tell me if you need anything and I'll be up instantly."

Olympion nodded, and Max leapt down.

-----

Hope sat up quickly, panting.

_Just a dream… just a dream… but why? Why do I keep dreaming of Satan?_ She shuddered as she remembered the pitchfork entering her flesh. _I'll never fall asleep like this. I'll just go outside and get some fresh air._

She walked down the tunnel slowly, thinking over the events that had happened that day, when she caught sight of something at the end of the tunnel.

It was Max, but surrounded with a soft, red light. But it was like nothing she had ever felt before. This was… this was something she had only felt twice. Once was in front of Juno. The other was with Satan.

Pure evil.

And something else… the intent of murder.

Then she heard something. A word, so quiet that she nearly missed it.

"Kill."

As she heard it spoken, the aura suddenly flashed with a fiercer, more violent red.

Then again she heard the word, this time a little louder. And again, the aura flashed, this time more brightly…

Again and again, the word was spoken, and again and again, the aura flashed. Hope couldn't stop herself from shaking. It was evil... so evil… it had no right to exist, this evil… Satan she could understand, but why Max? Why…?

Then it suddenly stopped. The aura vanished instantly, the voice was gone.

Max looked over to her. "Hope? What's wrong?"

"Um… nothing. I just couldn't sleep. I'm going back to try again, good night."

She left quickly.

_What was that? It's gone now… but what was it? Oh God, please let it not come back…_

Max stared at the retreating girl. _What was with her? She seemed worried about something… but what?_

-----

Max walked into the cave to see that only two people were awake.

"Morning," Max commented.

"Same to you," Zack nodded. "Did anything occur last night?"

"No. It was pretty boring, but I was in no mood to sleep."

"I wasn't either," Zack said. "Too many thoughts… none that I want to consider."

Fell was as silent as ever.

"When should we wake the others up?" Zack asked.

"How about now?" Max suggested. He walked over to Rue and kicked him in the back.

"OW! What was that for?!" Rue yelped, jumping up.

"I needed to wake you up."

"You didn't have to kick me, damn it," Rue growled. "I forgot how much of a pain you could be to hang around with, in more ways than one."

"Just get up before I feel the urge to kick you again."

Rue stood up quickly, waking up Hope by shaking her shoulder. "Come on, get up."

"Alright, I'm up," she said, rubbing her eyes.

Max had proceeded to kick Miles.

"YEOW! What the hell did you do that for?" Miles complained as he got up.

"I save that for the most moronic people."

"I'm honored," Miles replied shortly.

"Don't worry, he did it to me too," Rue told him as he shook Draken awake too.

"I already knew that. Why would he target me and not you?"

"Hey!"

Miles roused Will, and Fell got Larka to wake up. Brandi also got up when Max came over.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah… I'm so glad that you're ok," Brandi said to him.

"Same to you."

"Let's save the pleasantries for later," Will advised. "Rue, is Ruecian up for teleporting out?"

Rue had gotten up a few times in the night and managed to coax Ruecian into drinking some more Red Potions. He looked over him, and nodded. "Yeah, he's ready."

"Then let's get out of here!" Hope proposed.

The suggestion was agreed with by all. In a matter of a few seconds, there was nothing to say that they had ever been in the cave.

-----

"Matt Leo, the case has been decided. The officials are guilty as charged. Privileges previously granted to them will be taken away, and they will be harshly punished for trying to arrest and execute these innocents. What exactly will be taken away is still to be decided, but you said you were in a hurry to leave, so we just wanted to give you the facts that we had."

"That's great, thanks!" Matt replied to the judge. "You're right, I do need to be leaving. You'll give full details to the public later?"

"Correct."

"Then I'll keep an eye on the news. Thanks again, bye!"

Matt jumped back on his motorcycle, and was soon off, heading back to South Carolina.

To be continued…


	24. What Has Occurred

Nothing new to say, so let's get right to the chapter!

John: That's alright, thanks for reviewing!

**Chapter 24: What Has Occurred**

"Yo Abby, I'm back!" Matt called, walking into the house.

"So how did it go?" Abby asked, coming to the front.

"It went well. The official's powers are going to be pretty much taken away."

"That's good…" Abby suddenly broke off, coughing furiously.

"Are you alright?" Max asked, alarmed at the sudden change.

She nodded. "Yes… I'm ok…" Then she started coughing again, a very harsh sound.

"No, you aren't. You shouldn't even be up!" Matt shook his head. "You need help. You keep denying it, but this just confirms my worries." He took out his cell phone and quickly dialed 911, hastily giving directions to the doctor.

"What's going on?" Chasity inquired, walking in. Ender was right behind her.

"Your mom just needs to be looked over, that's all," Matt assured. "Chasity, will you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Call Brandi, and tell her that her mom is sick."

"Leave it to me," Chasity nodded.

"Good." Matt looked out the window, hearing the siren of the ambulance. "Your mom will be fine. Just wait here, ok?"

Abby seemed to have gotten over her coughing spasm for the minute. "Hime?"

"Yes?" Her Soul Monster ran over to her.

"Look after… Chasity and Ender… while I'm gone."

"Of course. I hope you get better soon," Hime told her.

"Me too… thanks."

In a matter of minutes, Abby and Matt were driven off, leaving Chasity, Ender, and Hime staring into the direction that they had left.

-----

The first thing Hope felt was an aching hunger. She took off her Envoyant Machine with a moan.

"Looks like we all made it," Rue stated as he took off his Envoyant Machine as well.

"Of course we made it," Miles answered, wincing. "My stomach's telling me that."

"You're back!"

They turned to the doorway to see that Amy was there.

"Hi sis," Hope grinned. "Where are mom and Claire?"

"Claire's currently panicking, due to the fact that Max was in a coma but had suddenly moved out of bed with no problem, and your mom is preparing to make breakfast. You came just in time."

"That's good to know," Miles said. "We're starved!"

"That's to be expected," Amy laughed. "I'll go tell her to prepare something for all of you. You'd best try to comfort Claire-she's going nuts."

"Don't worry. Max should be back too," Hope reassured.

"Wait… he's ok?"

"Believe me, we were surprised to see him in Teknisk Wereld! But he came just in time to save us from a dinosaur Soul Monster," Hope explained. "So yeah, for the most part he's fine."

"We have to see Claire anyway," Brandi told her. "Mana got injured badly."

"So did Ruecian," Rue said.

"Then you'd best go get her Hope," Amy suggested. "The rest of you can just relax for now. After you eat, I'll want to hear about your adventures. I'm sure Claire will too."

"And Max," Will threw in. "He doesn't remember anything from when he had amnesia."

"Alright then. Hope, go see Claire before she goes insane."

"Sure, I'll be right back."

Hope ran up the stairs and stopped outside the door to her room. She waited outside, listening to the two talking.

"Oh, and Max, ignore my orders to stay in bed if you really must, but please do not take the bandage on your left arm off!"

"Why? What's so bad about… OH MY GOD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ME?!"

Hope couldn't help but burst out laughing. Claire, hearing her, opened the door.

"Hope! Hi! Glad to see you're back, for more reasons than one. I'm totally confused!"

She came out into the hall way, Max following. He had wrapped the bandage back around his arm, but still looked very shocked.

"We're going to be telling about what happened while we were in Teknisk Wereld, but we have a few people and Soul Monsters that need to be looked after Claire," Hope explained.

"Like?"

"Gen was caught in an explosion, but he seems fine now. Fell was blasted with a cannon, but he's doing better too. Mana was hit with a bullet-she needs it to be extracted. Brandi was also injured fighting the officials, and her clothes are bloody-she needs something to change into. And Ruecian was bitten by a dinosaur Soul Monster-he needs serious attention."

"Sound bad," Claire inferred. "Mana has a bullet inside her? The sooner it comes out, the better. Let's bring her up to the guest room. As for Ruecian… I'll take care of him in the guest room too. I'm really glad there are two beds in there. Does Brandi have any grave wounds?"

"Nothing too harsh."

"Then I'll take care of her down there. Let's get downstairs."

They descended downstairs, and went into the living room, where everyone else was. Hope was thankful that it was such a big room-even with all of the Soul Monsters, there was enough room for everyone.

In a few minutes, Amy came to join them. "The food will be ready in a bit. In the meantime, I'd like to know about everything that's happened!"

"Same here," Claire agreed. She looked over at Ruecian, Mana, and Brandi. "Unless you guys want to be looked over now?"

"It can wait," Brandi shrugged. Mana and Ruecian nodded in agreement.

"Then let's hear about what happened!" Amy said.

"Hold on a minute," Max interrupted. "I thought you were dead too?"

"I was brought back to life by God," Amy replied.

"Right. While we're on the subject, did any other dead people suddenly come back to life?"

"Nah, nobody else that we know of," Gaston laughed.

"Good. I'm ready to hear about the events too," Max stated.

"Let's start at the beginning, for Max's benefit," Rue suggested.

"Alright… well, it all started when Brandi found me in Teknisk Wereld," Hope began. "You weren't back after a month had passed, and she and Matt were very worried. We all started searching for you. Three days later, I found you in an alley when Gaston and I were walking home. You were seriously injured, with several cuts, bruises, burns, and-as you saw-a broken wrist and an area where a shard of metal was embedded in the same arm."

"You're damn right that I saw it," Max growled. "I nearly had a heart attack from its condition."

"Well, it came from your Duel Disk, which had exploded. And Olympion was nowhere to be found. I called an ambulance, and you were brought to the hospital. I called the rest of the group, and they began to come to Illinois. The doctor discovered that you had amnesia, and the only thing that you recognized… well, we don't know why, but it was me. You didn't know my name, but you remembered who I was. We still don't know why… anyway, after one night you were brought to my house. That next night, when Gaston and I were on yet another walk, we heard a gunshot. We ran to where we heard it, and found Fell and Larka there. Luckily, Rue and Claire found us there, and with the help of Ruecian and Gaston we were able to transport them to my house. Claire was able to extract the bullets from Fell, and they spent a few days healing," Hope explained.

"In the morning, everyone else arrived." Hope laughed at the memory of how Will had entered. "Will experienced a few difficulties with Neo's bad habits of blowing up kitchens at a bed and breakfast."

"Typical," Max muttered.

"Don't remind me," Will growled.

"Brandi and Matt arrived the same day. Matt was able to teach you how to play Duel Monsters again, and you made a deck out of his spares. We decided to go to Teknisk Wereld tomorrow, to try and find whoever had attacked you."

"In the morning, I went to tell Larka that we would be gone for a while. She asked if she and Fell could come too, since they wanted to see Teknisk Wereld for themselves. I had two extra Envoyant Machines, so I let them borrow them. We spent the day exploring, showing you, Fell, and Larka some of the places in Teknisk Wereld. We found a place to camp in the forest, and fell asleep."

"Unfortunately, in the morning, we discovered our decks were gone! Fell found where the thief was hiding though, and we pursued him. Eventually, we had him surrounded."

"Yep, that thief was me!" Miles admitted. "I had been ordered by one of the top Commanders of Heaven to steal their decks, and then figure out the condition of you, Max. I thought there was no way that I could be forced to hand over the decks again, but a small problem came up."

"Much to our surprise, Fell turned out to have a deck!" Hope continued. "He had asked Matt last night if he could be taught how to play the game and if he and Larka could have a deck each from his spares. Matt agreed, and Fell made himself and Larka a deck each. Since they didn't have Duel Disks yet, Fell borrowed mine and beat Miles in a duel. Pretty impressive, considering it was his first one."

"After he creamed me, I handed over the decks and turned traitor on the Commanders of Heaven," Miles said. "Why? Well, that was something I didn't want to disclose at the moment… but I think I should explain why now."

"About time!" Rue exclaimed.

"Heh, yeah." Miles was still missing his bandana since Brandi's leg wound was covered by it, so everyone could see the scar on his neck. He indicated to it. "See this thing? I have no idea how I acquired it. In fact, I don't remember anything about my past. That's why I abandoned them. I had been told, if I worked with them, that eventually I would get my memory back. But when I saw that others were losing their memories… I just didn't want anyone else to go through what I had to. So I've been trying to help however I can here."

"That's terrible," Hope said softly.

"Yeah, but I've gotten over it," Miles shrugged. "Shall we continue?"

"Right. Well, after that happened, we decided to go back to the real world to get Fell and Larka registered for Teknisk Wereld. Claire and Larka had a free duel, but after that we left. Miles agreed to meet up with us later. I took Fell and Larka to registration, and they got their Envoyant Machines, Duel Disks, and Soul Cards. After that was taken care of, we went back to the house. Claire announced that she would not be coming, as she wanted to take care of you and Fell. The rest of us went to Teknisk Wereld after we were finished getting ready."

"We met up with Miles at the hotel, and then went to the mountains. Once we arrived at the top, we were suddenly teleported away. The cause was soon apparent-a Commander of Heaven has brought us to a building in the sky. Her name was Rika-I believe she called her Soul Monster Rikku? It was a Black Forest Witch, anyhow. We were trapped in an Iron Cage of Nightmares, but Draken came in and dueled Rika. Although there were a few close moments, he managed to beat her Exodia Necross deck. Furious at her loss, she freed us but tried to kill us. Fell slew her first, and then we left."

"And you weren't surprised to see him alive?" Max asked.

"Of course we were!" Rue answered. "But it was a damn good thing he did come back to life, or else we'd be dead now."

"Oh, I have a question for you Draken," Will said. "How were you able to carry a sword in Teknisk Wereld?"

"Apparently, the Commanders of Heaven took down the barrier around Teknisk Wereld," Draken answered. "So I had no problem taking my sword in. Anyway, do you want to continue Hope?"

"Sure. Darche also helped us. When we left the temple, he called over three Blue Eyes White Dragons to assist us. We rode them down from the sky, landing quickly. When we did, we got an announcement that a new booster pack series had come out, and that certain cards were banned."

"Like?"

"Injection Angel Lily, Cyber Pod, Fiber Pod, Yatagarasu, Mischievous Demon Twins, Distressing Choice, Change of Heart, Thunderbolt, Harpy's Feather Sweep, and Imperial Decree."

"…Damn it to hell. So that's why my deck seemed to be missing a few cards."

"Yep. Our reactions were similar to that. We went, got some booster packs, and then went back to the lake." She blushed slightly. "Zack ambushed us. I was nearly killed, but you tackled me, saving me from his switch blade. Brandi and Fell battled him, but it was only when a Blue Eyes came to assist us that we had an edge. Zack used up all of his electricity on the Blue Eyes, and as an alternative method of killing us decided to duel us."

"Hope beat me in a duel," Zack continued. "But she couldn't bring herself to kill me, so I decided to stay with them."

"So you're strong, huh?" Max leaned across and banged his fist against Zack's arm. A metallic echo answered his strike. "Yep. Definitely not human."

"The more help the better though," Hope shrugged. "Zack said that he thought a Commander would be at the volcano. We sailed there, and found one. Her name was Madura, and her Soul Monster was a Lava Golem nicknamed Lavos. She demanded that you were to duel her Max, or else she would have the volcano erupt, killing us all."

"And I accepted?"

"Yes." Hope shivered. "It was awful. She used a Burner deck. You were forced to duel in the cage Lavos carried. Every time she did damage to you, flames burned you… that's why you're so badly burned. Lavos did all of the damage."

Max looked at his right arm, which had been severely burned. "I must have sucked at dueling. How else would I have taken this much damage?"

"Well, you weren't the best player, but you still managed to kick her ass with your Trap deck," Rue threw in. "She was ticked off at losing, and ordered Lavos to kill you."

"I overreacted," Brandi said quietly. "I jumped over to where Madura stood and broke her ribs and arm. She managed to press a button on her Duel Disk that started an eruption. I was so furious that I crushed her skull."

"Brutal but effective," Max commented.

"Lavos was crushed by a part of the volcano collapsing," Hope went on. "You were released from the cage, but fell towards the magma. We had no way to save you… we were forced to run before the eruption caught us too. We made it outside, thinking you were dead."

"But Zack had stayed behind. He has some kind of device that allows him to hover for a short time. So he grabbed you before you fell into the lava, and managed to get out of the volcano before it erupted."

"I had to be saved? Man, I must have been really weak," Max said in disgust.

"It wasn't your fault," Hope assured. "Anyone with amnesia would have needed help. Well, it was evident that we needed you to be healed. I left with you, and Claire agreed to look after you. She's the one who took care of you."

"I see."

"I went off to the card store to get some cards to help us, only to be caught by the officials. They arrested me."

"Arrested you? I remember you mentioning it, but how the hell did they manage to pull that off?"

"The Commanders of Heaven are some high ranking officials. They made it seem as though we were Generals of Hell. Remember that orb and cloak we used to access the lake? My fingerprints were on it, and that was enough evidence for them."

"What a bunch of garbage," Max muttered.

"Too true. Nothing eventful happened to me, except that a woman-we later found out that her name was Malady-came to talk with me. Apparently, she was a high-ranking Commander of Heaven, and was trying to capture the others as well."

"I'll pick it up from here," Rue volunteered. "We went to the hotel, which is where agreed to meet us. We got concerned when we found out that she wasn't there though. Hector didn't know where she was either, and believe me, if he had seen her he would have remembered. We decided to start searching for her, and went to the mountains to begin looking. That's when we met some… old acquaintances," he snickered.

"Who would they be?"

"Does the name Caleb and Ifrit ring a bell?" Will asked.

"Those two idiots again? Damn it! Why did I have to be sick at that time? I would have loved to have destroyed them again."

"Don't worry; Will, Miles, and Draken creamed them."

"Wait. Why was it three against two? Even if it was Rue against the two of them alone, he would have won."

"What do you mean, even?!" Rue protested.

"They had a new pal who called himself Buster Blader," Will explained. "It's hard to decide which of them is the most moronic."

"Ok, next time you see them, make sure I get to take part in killing them."

"Of course," Rue assured. "After they were dragged off by Ifrit's brother, we continued our search. Soon we came across the cave where Zenith had once dragged Hope into, and decided to look there. Turns out the officials had an ambush planned. Miles activated Gravity Bind so we wouldn't be shot to death, but unfortunately, we were unable to do anything since Gravity Bind affected us too."

"Smart going," Max said sarcastically to Miles.

"Hey, at least we weren't killed," Miles pointed out.

"I dueled the leader of the group, some guy called Carlo," Rue continued. "He used some kind of Revolution deck, but I still won. The officials were slain, since that was our agreement, and we left Teknisk Wereld. You see, Carlo told us that Hope had been arrested, and we weren't about to let them get away with that! We hoped that Claire would have some idea of where she was, since Claire was the last person who had seen her."

"We had gotten a call saying that Hope had left to answer some questions from the officials," Claire explained. "So when I was told by the others that she had been arrested, I was as surprised as anyone!"

"Fortunately, Zack had been to the official's headquarters in the past," Will said. "Although the officials tried to delete the map they had installed into his mind, Zack was able to bring up the location again. It was in Springfield though, so we had to spend four hours on a bus trip to get there. Once we arrived, Zack was able to successfully locate the building."

"There were some guards at the front, but Fell killed them easily," Rue went on. "And we still have no idea how. He moved so damn fast that it was difficult to even see him! But that's beside the point. We went inside, and found an elevator. The Soul Monsters went first, but were ambushed. Gen was shot in the arm, but luckily no other injuries occurred. We wanted to help, but an electric force field blocked us from the fight. But Zack was able to absorb the force field, and then shot it at the officials. They were fried instantly."

"It looks like there are more uses to you than meets the eye," Max stated, looking over at Zack.

"Perhaps. However, absorbing that much electricity took it out of me. I was completely exhausted for the rest of the time we spent there."

"Well, we went on, and found another official who called himself Todd, with a Death Kangaroo called Jack."

"The movie Kangaroo Jack was terrible," Max commented.

"Funny that you should mention that-Mana said something similar. But anyway, I dueled him, and easily won. We went on afterwards," Will continued. "Eventually, we found Hope, and thanks to Miles' ability to pick locks, she was soon free and we were ready to get the heck out."

"But when we got back to the place where the Soul Monsters had been ambushed, we found Malady waiting for us, with her Soul Monster-a Stealth Bird called Streak," Rue said. "Previously, she had locked some kind of iron collar around Hope's neck, which allowed her to control her movements. Hope nearly strangled me to death," he remembered, wincing at the memory. "However, Brandi dueled her and won. Even after we won, Malady wasn't about to play fair. She had a group of ten reinforcements, and we were about to be owned, badly."

"But that was when Fell's Soul Monster finally decided to show up," Larka went on. "Daine slaughtered the ten officials. Malon also came out, and managed to seize the remote control Malady used to control Hope's movements. I pressed a button on it, and the collar fell off. Malady fled when she saw that she stood no chance, and we got out of the building as fast as possible."

"However, when we reached the alleys that we needed to use to get out of here, Zack fell unconscious. Apparently, he had used too much energy and couldn't go on," Miles explained. "Luckily, I had memorized the way instinctively-that's what good thieves do, they remember where their escape routes are. We managed to get back to the bus stop, only to find it closed."

"I had arrived here for a surprise visit," Amy said. "Claire told me of what happened, and I told Hope's mom. Ms. Gales and I drove to Springfield and picked up everyone, and then we went back to the house."

"The next morning, we saw that they had placed a wanted ad for us in the newspaper," Miles reminded them. "Reward for catching us, we were highly dangerous, yata yata yata. In other words, it sucked. But we went to Teknisk Wereld in hopes of finding Malady."

"We got a surprise when we arrived in Teknisk Wereld," Hope recalled. "Sarius, the Child, Raid, and Cyrus ran into us."

"I thought he went after Juno?"

"He didn't discuss what he did," Rue shrugged. "Isn't that typical? You can never get a straight answer from Sarius, the Child talks in Japanese, Raid only growls and snarls and roars, and Cyrus doesn't speak unless he's required to."

"Sarius was acting stranger than usual though," Hope continued. "He seemed surprised when he looked at Fell and Larka… as though there was something unique about them. It couldn't have been that they were new additions to our group-he seemed interested enough in Miles and Draken, but not as curious about them as about Fell and Larka."

"He requested a tag team duel with us," Larka went on. "We narrowly won. After that, we went on, and ran into some of Hope's friends. I think their names were Julia, Samuel, Toan, and Josh?"

"The girl, the guy who loves her, and the freak obsessed with sheep, cows, and getting bitten by dogs? I know those three, but who's Josh supposed to be?" Max inquired.

"Just another pal of mine from school who uses a Vic Viper deck," Hope explained. "But Draken beat him easily… poor guy. We went into the forest after they assured that they would keep any officials that came nearby busy with a sheep stampede."

"When we arrived in the forest, we ran into someone that I never expected to see in Teknisk Wereld," Brandi said. "Our mother."

"Whoa, wait. What was our mother doing there?"

"She wanted to see me. We had a free duel, which I barely won with Mana's help. Yeah, I guess we forgot to mention a new rule. Apparently, Soul Monsters can be special summoned to the field in a duel now. We don't know the consequences to this though. After that, Chasity and Ender…"

"Hold the phone. How were they in Teknisk Wereld?"

"It was an experiment some officials were doing. They needed to test a barrier of some kind to see if children would be safe in Teknisk Wereld. Matt had come also, in case anything went wrong. Anyway, Chasity destroyed Rue in a duel."

Max couldn't help but laugh at that. "So how did you feel Rue, getting beaten by a six year old girl?"

"Aw shut up," Rue grumbled.

"Ender also beat Hope in one turn," Brandi said. "It was a pretty incredible combo he pulled off."

"We parted ways, Matt and Abby assuring that they would try to help us. We went to the lake to see if Hope's pals were still there," Rue continued. "They were gone, but we had another kind of welcoming party. A group of twenty officials, with an official called Ian as the leader, were there."

"Wait. Isn't Ian…?"

"Hold on, we'll get to that," Hope assured. "Ian used Prohibition Order on us, making it so that we couldn't leave Teknisk Wereld or use support cards."

"They can do that? How cheap is that?" Claire complained.

"Yeah, that's what we were thinking too," Hope laughed. "Especially when Ian had Agro, his Black Tyrano Soul Monster, attack us! Gen managed to steal Ian's Skull Blood Pirate Ship though, and we set sail. Mana, Ruecian, and Neo provided as a distraction for Agro until we were ready, and then we were off!"

"Unfortunately, we were caught in a storm," Miles recalled. "Larka was knocked overboard. Malon, Daine, and Fell leapt after her. The rest of us landed on an island. When the weather cleared up, we started to sail back to mainland. Before boarding the ship, Darche sent three of his Blue Eyes friends to search for Fell, Larka, Malon, and Daine."

"I woke up to find myself on a small rocky island with Malon," Daine said. "Luckily, a Blue Eyes White Dragon found us, and brought us to the ship, where we met up with the others."

"When I was hit by the tidal wave, I was almost instantly knocked unconscious. When I finally came around, I discovered that the officials had found me. Since I was a little tied up at the moment-pun intended-I was finding the situation to be pretty hopeless," Larka stated.

"A little earlier, I had finally awakened," Zack continued. "I went to Teknisk Wereld, and found Larka. Luckily, most of the officials were gone, so I was able to get her away from the area."

"We hid in a cave until my blood circulation was ok again," Larka went on. "After that, we left, avoiding the town since we didn't want to be seen. On our way to the shore, we fell through the ground. When we regained consciousness, we found ourselves on a huge book. There was also a little girl who was about eight years old. She called herself Cally. Well, she was trapped in the Toon World magic card, and apparently so were we."

"Toon World? I've seen that card. It doesn't seem like the best place to fall into," Max pointed out.

"It turned out ok though. Zack defeated Cally in a duel, and although disappointed that her new friends were leaving her home, she let us go. We went to the shore after that, and spent the rest of the day waiting." Larka turned to her brother. "What happened to you, Fell?"

"…I was in the forest. I spent the day around the town, trying to hear of any new information. But there was nothing important spoken."

"Oh my gosh. Did Fell just say something longer than a sentence? I'm hearing things!" Miles joked.

"When we arrived at the shore, we found Zack, who was unconscious," Hope said. "When he came around, he said that Larka had attacked him. Daine explained that on the night of the full moon, Fell and Larka would go insane, attacking and killing every person that they could. We were never told why though."

"I guess you have a right to know now," Larka sighed. She brushed her hair to the side, revealing her wolf-like ear.

"What the hell happened to you?" Max asked.

"He summed it up pretty well," Draken stated.

"When we were six, we were taken from our home to be experimented on by a cruel scientist called Viken. He wanted to turn us into werewolves, or something similar. It was a harsh life… Hope found us on the night we finally escaped. We have extraordinary hearing, greater strength and stamina than normal humans, and we can run at incredibly fast speeds when necessary," Larka explained.

"So that's why you've never cut your hair," Miles muttered.

"Basically. We also go insane when it is a full moon. Our powers are enhanced, and we try to slay as many people as possible. We are aware of what we are doing… but until the night is over, we don't care…" Larka said quietly.

"And even when the night is over, Fell doesn't seem to care," Draken pointed out.

"Draken!" Hope snapped. "That was uncalled for!"

"Geez, I'm sorry, alright?" Draken rolled his eyes. "But you have to admit that I have a point."

"You are correct," Fell concurred. "I do not concern myself with the deaths of others, even when it was I that killed them."

"You're just saying that," Larka disagreed, shaking her head.

"How about we continue the story?" Claire suggested, changing the subject.

"Alright. Well, we went after them. Luckily, the only people Larka killed were a group of officials," Hope recalled. "Malon was able to bring her under control. Although how they do it is a mystery to us, Malon and Daine have the ability to keep them from getting out of control on the full moon. So when Malon was close by Larka, she returned to normal. We also found one of Darche's Blue Eyes friends, who had been wounded by Fell. It was a good thing that it was night time, or many more deaths would have come from Fell… he slaughtered almost everyone in the town. When we finally found him, he tried to kill Brandi, but Rue saved her. He died though."

"…He died? Then why is he sitting right in front of me, looking as idiotic as ever?" Max questioned.

"Can you even talk about me without insulting me somehow?" Rue muttered.

"Well, after Daine got Fell under control, we were cornered by several officials. But Demon Rue came and saved the day by slaughtering them with some kind of black magic," Hope explained.

"Demon Rue?" Max inquired.

"Remember when Rue went crazy against the official that kidnapped Claire? You were really seeing Demon Rue. It's like… some sort of Demon lives in his body. We don't know much about it though."

"Actually… I do," Claire said softly.

Everyone stared at her.

"What?" Hope asked in disbelief.

"Rue and I… are not technically brother and sister. We found Rue when he was about six, stranded. My mother and father found out that his parents had abandoned him. They found Rue's father, and demanded to know why he had gotten rid of Rue. Apparently…" Claire hesitated.

"Go on," Rue encouraged, looking somewhat desperate.

"…He said that you had killed his wife… your own mother."

Rue stared at her, shocked.

"He didn't give that many details. But some man or another was harassing your mother. You got furious when he injured her, and went insane. You killed the man, but your mom died too… it was a complete accident though. You had been aiming for the man, not your mother. Still, your father was enraged, and scared of you. So he abandoned you. We took care of you, and since you had no memory of the incident, we did not tell you of it."

"…I see," Rue said, looking down at the floor.

"I'm sorry Rue… I knew I would have to tell you eventually. I just wasn't sure when."

"It's fine… thanks for telling me," he sighed. "But why? Why did I kill my mother that time? The other time I became Demon Rue… against that official, Guy… why did I only try to kill him and the other officials?"

"Nobody will know that, except for you," Claire told him. "You are sharing a body with the Demon, so you will be the one who knows him best. Only you can find out his motives, if anyone can that is."

Rue was silent, thinking about that.

_Actually, she's correct. Your sister has some intelligence, even if she is a human…_

Rue looked around wildly. "Who said that?!"

"And now you're hearing things," Max sighed. "Anyway, who's Guy?"

"Well, as I was saying, Demon Rue killed all of the officials, but the leader. The leader, called Guy, dueled Demon Rue and lost. Even his Soul Monster, a Grizzly Mother called Wanda, couldn't save him. He was killed too, and then Demon Rue turned back into Rue. Demon Rue had healed him, so Rue was still alive, just exhausted. We didn't want to stick around, so we climbed up a mountain. It was tricky without support cards, but we made it alright," Hope said.

Rue shook his head. _That's weird… I'm sure I heard someone say something…_

"When we arrived at the top, we got ambushed again, by a group of about thirty officials," Larka continued. "Fell was hit with a charged Wave Motion Cannon, and was knocked unconscious. Zack also fell unconscious when the leader of the group used Acid Rain on him. Brandi and Mana stayed behind to defeat the officials, while the rest of us ran towards the top of the mountain."

"Mana and I managed to kill all of the officials," Brandi went on. "My leg was injured by a bullet grazing it, and Mana was hit in the side by one too. We fell unconscious. I woke up when a Queen Bird landed and pecked me on the shoulder. I punched it twice, one hitting it in the eye, and it flew off. That's all I can remember."

"When we got to the mountain top, we found Malady," Hope said. "I dueled her, and won. She and Streak died by her own Black Snake Sickness. We went back down to get Fell, Zack, Brandi, and Mana. Fell, Zack, and Mana were still unconscious, but Brandi was up and managed to carry Mana down. Larka helped Fell, while Gaston and Darche assisted Zack. Then we went over the other side."

"I rushed down the mountain to find a place that we could stay, Gen following," Miles picked up the story. "Unfortunately, someone was waiting for us. We were knocked out. When we woke up, we were in some kind of cave. A man called Robin apparently had some kind of grudge against me. We dueled, and even though his deck was made specifically to counter mine, I still won. He committed suicide since that was the rules of losing the duel, and his Soul Monster-an Android Psycho Shocker, Android for short-blew himself up. Gen protected me from the blast, so I was ok, but Gen needed some recovery time."

"Malon found a tunnel, and we followed it," Larka explained. "When we got to the end, there was a cave. We found Miles and Gen there, both out of it. Will managed to rouse Miles, and then we left. But after burying Robin and Android, we decided to rest in the cave. Rue seemed better-he had been weary from having Demon Rue possess him, but he was ok after some time. So Rue, Ruecian, Draken, and Darche stayed at the entrance to be sentries. Mana came around, and then Gen. Zack finally woke up too, and went outside to the tunnel to recharge. Then Fell regained consciousness too, saying that he heard someone else out in the tunnel. We went to investigate."

"I had set myself to wake up if anyone approached, just as a safety precaution," Zack stated. "Someone had tunneled from above, and tried to kill me. I was able to fight her off though. I recognized her… she was a woman I had known called Heather. An old friend of mine who wanted revenge for something I did not mean to do. I have a device in my body that makes it so that I cannot commit suicide… so I had no choice but to duel her. I was forced to kill someone that had once been my friend. I couldn't take it; I ran out of the tunnel, not knowing or caring where I was going."

"I followed him, as did Gaston," Hope continued. "When we finally caught up with him, we also found Ian. Agro was too much to handle just by ourselves; I had Gaston run back to get help. Darche called a Blue Eyes White Dragon for help, and Ruecian was able to absorb some of the dragon's power. Agro was nearly killed by Ruecian, but Ian used Emissary of Peace, creating a stalemate. Draken and Ian dueled, and Draken won. But Ian wasn't about to give up just yet. Agro bit Ruecian, and would have slain him if Olympion hadn't killed him first. Then Olympion slew Ian. We were all amazed to see that Max was there, and back to being himself. Brandi fainted in relief and exhaustion. I tore up the Prohibition Order, so we could leave. Ruecian was seriously injured though, so we stayed through the night so that he could recover. Then we came back. That's all there is really to tell."

"It's amazing, what you've done in such a short amount of time," Amy commented. "And that you still wish to continue to battle for what's right. All I can say is good luck on this, and that I hope I can help somehow."

"Same here," Claire agreed. "Now, Brandi, Mana, and Ruecian, let's get upstairs. I want to look over your injuries."

"It's not that bad…" Brandi shrugged, wincing at her shoulder.

"So you say. Come on, I'm not taking no as an answer."

"The rest of you can eat now," Hope's mother called from the dining room.

"At long last!" Miles exclaimed, leaping up.

"Can you make it up there ok, Ruecian?" Rue asked.

Ruecian nodded.

"I hope you feel better soon. I'll see you soon."

"I'm going outside," Amy said. "Maybe I can pick up a newspaper, to show what's going on."

"Good plan," Hope replied. "Come back as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, I will."

-----

"That should take care of things," Claire finally said, when she had finished tying the bandage around Brandi's leg. "You're set. Do you need some new clothes?"

"Yeah, but it's ok-I brought spares."

"That's good. Then go ahead and get something to eat. I'll take care of Mana. Oh, and tell Miles he can have his bandana back soon. Neo can also have his cape back shortly."

"Alright. Thanks."

Rue and Miles had also changed clothes, since theirs were bloody too; Rue had had his heart stabbed after all, and Robin had attacked Miles. Luckily, they too had brought spares. Rue wore an outfit that was identical to his other one; Hope wondered if he ever wore anything different. Miles, on the other hand, now had on a dark blue t-shirt and dark brown shorts. His red bandana was missing, due to the amount of blood on it, but he would have it back on soon. Brandi wore a white sleeveless top, and sky blue shorts.

"Hey Miles, Claire's going to wash your bandana. She said you can have it back soon."

"Thanks."

"What about my cape?" Neo questioned.

"So that's why you looked so unusually stupid," Max commented. "I was wondering what had changed about you."

"Oh shut up," Neo muttered.

"Claire said she'd wash it too, so don't worry too much about it."

-----

Claire looked over Ruecian's wounds, and winced. "Well, at least Rue gave you Red Potions… that should help make you heal faster." She brought out an injection. "I'm going to have to inject you with this liquid. It'll cause you to fall asleep so that you won't feel any pain. That ok?"

He nodded.

"Alright, good. You should wake up in a few hours." She found a vein on his arm and injected the liquid. Ruecian was asleep almost instantly, and Claire was soon working away. She was forced to remove the top portion of his armor to be able to bandage some of the wounds, but luckily there were hardly any injuries on the lower half of his body. After about half an hour, she was done.

"Poor guy…" Claire muttered. "I wonder how his armor will be mended… oh well, we can worry about that later." She drew the covers over Ruecian's unconscious form, and then went outside to where Mana was waiting. "Mana? I'm ready to look over you."

"Alright…" She walked inside and sat on the bed, casting a curious look at Ruecian.

"He's asleep, and won't wake up for a few hours," Claire answered the unspoken question. "So where were you hit?"

Mana indicated to her side. Claire nodded. "I see. Well, I'm going to need for you to take off your armor so I can extract the bullet."

"Um… but what if…?"

"No, Ruecian will not wake up, and I'll make sure nobody enters."

"Alright then."

After another half hour, the bullet was extracted, and Mana's side was bandaged.

"Now all you need is rest," Claire said. "You're really lucky-your armor slowed down the bullet, so it wasn't as hard to get out as most bullets are. Just relax. I'm going to look over you a little bit longer-who knows what other kinds of wounds you could have acquired."

"Thanks."

-----

"Oh, this is impossible!" Chaisty cried out in frustration. "I don't even know Brandi's cell phone number! How am I supposed to contact her?"

She had spent a few aggravating minutes looking at phone books, but had soon realized that they were not about to help. And she couldn't enter Teknisk Wereld without her mother. What other way was there to contact her sister? Whatever it was, she wasn't thinking of it.

"You only needed to ask me," Ender told her, handing over a sheet of paper with the phone number on it.

"How did you find her number?" Chaisty asked.

"It's called the internet, genius."

"Oops. I kinda forgot about that," Chasity replied, blushing slightly.

Ender rolled his eyes. He constantly had to remind her of the simplest of things.

-----

They had finished eating, and were now discussing what to do next.

"Let's take a break from Teknisk Wereld," Miles suggested. "We've spent the past few days there. No need to jump back in so quickly."

"Besides, Ruecian and Mana have to heal up anyway," Hope agreed. "Alright, I guess we're just going to relax until they're better."

"Sounds like a plan," Draken said.

At that moment, a ringing caught their attention.

"My cell phone," Brandi explained as she leapt up. "Hang on, I'm going to see who it is."

Max followed her out into the living room (the others were in the family room), where she picked up the cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi. It's me, Chasity."

"Chasity? Hi! How did you come across my number?"

"Ender found it on the internet. Listen, Matt asked me to tell you something. Our mom-she's seriously ill."

"Mom's sick? What's wrong?!" Brandi asked frantically.

Max, overhearing what she said, ripped the phone away from her hand. Ignoring her protests, he listened to what Chasity was saying.

"-started coughing, and Matt said he thinks she might be ok, but he sounded really unsure. I'm sorry, but I don't know what kind of condition she'll be in. I get the feeling it could be serious. So yeah, that's all I know. Matt wants you to come down as soon as possible. Hello? Brandi? Are you there?"

Max pressed the end button on the phone, and tossed it back to Brandi.

"What did she say?"

"It might be serious," Max sighed. "Matt wants us to come down and see her. Well, he wants you to come, but he doesn't know that I'm better."

"Will we?"

"I don't know." Max shook his head. "I just don't know… we're needed here, to deal with the Commanders of Heaven… but what about mom? What if she dies while we're gone? I'd never forgive myself…"

Brandi gave him a look of concern. But before she could say anything, the front door flew open.

"Amy! What's wrong?" Brandi asked when she saw Hope's sister. She looked somewhat pale.

"It's the officials! I don't know how, but they know where you guys are. They're approaching the house as we speak!"

To be continued…


	25. Inescapable Foe

Wow, what do you know? Another no comment!

Demon Fan: That's ok, thanks!

John: Yeah, clip chapter. And thank you for your thoughts, Captain Obvious. 

**Chapter 25: Inescapable Foe**

"The officials are coming here?!" Hope exclaimed.

Amy had run into the family room and told everyone else what she had seen.

"Yes! I don't know how they figured it out, but if you stay you'll be arrested for sure! There must be at least fifty!"

"We don't stand much of a chance running either," Will pointed out. "Not only are Ruecian and Mana injured, but a group of our size would be easy to spot."

"So what should we do?" Miles wondered.

"We go down fighting!" Neo declared.

"For once, you've said something smart," Will commented. "I agree; standing and fighting is our only chance!"

"Won't that get us into even bigger trouble?" Darche stated.

"We're already fugitives, so probably not," Rue shrugged. "As shocking as it is to say, I'm with Will on this one! Anyone disagree?"

Nobody answered.

"Great! Then let's get ready!" Miles suggested. "How much time do we have before they get here?"

"About ten minutes tops," Amy confirmed. "We only have that long because I heard them talking about getting equipment ready."

"Then we have no time to waste!" Gaston declared.

"I'll get Claire!" Rue volunteered. "The rest of you, prepare for them!" Then he ran up the stairs, and to the guest room.

Not even bothering to knock, he charged in. "Claire! It's the officials! They're…"

He trailed off when he saw Mana and blushed. Luckily, at the moment Claire had been applying a bandage to Mana's right arm, so the sheet was drawn over most of her form. That didn't make the situation much better though.

Mana had yelped, diving completely underneath the sheet and cover, while Claire had grabbed a lamp from the nearby table.

Everyone ran to the stairs when they heard a crash. Rue came running out of the guest room, still being chased by Claire, who kept whacking him over the head with the lamp.

"Ow! Cut it out Claire! That hurts, damn it! OW!"

"That's the point!" Claire swung the lamp again, hitting him again. Momentarily stunned, he was unable to do anything as Claire grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and kicked him in the groin, which, when she released the collar of his shirt, causing him to tumble down the stairs. After he landed at the foot of the stairs, she threw the lamp at his head, causing it to shatter upon contact.

"HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF KNOCKING BEFORE YOU ENTER, YOU PERVERT?! DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!"

Rue was barely conscious at this point. Everyone else looked up at Claire, who blushed.

"Um… sorry. You can now go back to whatever you were doing."

"Geez, we should have brought Claire to fight against the Commanders of Heaven. She could have slaughtered them!" Miles commented.

That only caused Claire to blush deeper.

"Claire, Rue was going to tell you that the officials are coming. We have less than ten minutes to get ready."

"Oh… I just overreacted when he ran in without knocking," Claire said sheepishly. "I was trying to help Mana, and… well… I had to take off her armor to operate on her."

"No details, please," Hope requested. "So, are you willing to help?"

"Yeah, just let me apologize to Mana."

-----

A few minutes later, and they were ready. Armed with the weapons they had chosen, all they could do was wait.

"I'm glad mom left to go to the store," Hope commented. "She'd kill us for what we're planning to do."

"That's true," Amy agreed.

"Now remember, go all out! We're going to take them out, and have no regrets about it!" Miles announced. "This is for our freedom, men! And women," he added, looking over at Hope, Amy, Brandi, and Claire. "Is everyone ready, besides Rue since he's still out of it, and Larka since she's watching over the back entrance? Great! Let's move out!"

"Nice speech," Max said sarcastically.

"Thanks," Miles responded, ignoring the snickers that came from Max's comment.

Claire had put Rue upstairs in Hope's room, since he was still out of it. She had wanted to help too though, and was armed as well. Everyone's grip tightened around their weapons as Malon ran in, barking three times.

"That's the signal! Ready or not, they're coming!" Draken announced.

And they waited for their victims to enter.

-----

"So all of the kids should be here?" the second in command asked his leader.

"Yes. We'll just make a quick arrest and haul them off to jail."

"What if they resist?"

"I doubt they will. If they try, just bring out the guns, but there should be absolutely no need to fire them."

"Then why did we bring fifty men?"

"Just a show of numbers. Hopefully, it'll be enough." He raised his voice. "Is everyone ready?!"

The officials fell silent.

"Then it's time."

-----

A knock on the door confirmed the official's presence.

"I could take them all out by myself," Brandi complained.

"Probably, but why waste all your strength? Besides, you're still injured. This will be an easier way to deal with them," Gaston stated.

"We know you're in there! Open the door!" the official behind the door yelled.

"Who is it?" Amy called, as though she had no idea that fifty officials were waiting outside.

"You know full well. Let us in!"

"No, I don't. And you can come in-it's open!" Amy grinned mischievously.

The door was flung open, and the first official stepped inside. "Hands in the air! You are under arrest for-" The official's speech was cut off as a frying pan slammed into his head.

"Nice aim," Will commented to Neo, who had flung it.

"Thanks."

"Everyone, inside!" the leader commanded. "Let them see how many of us there are."

They all ran in.

"Enough stalling; ATTACK!" Miles cried.

The officials in the group didn't even expect an assault like this one. All sorts of kitchenware came flying at them. Pots, pans, rolling pins, forks, spoons, knives, plates, bowls, kettles, blenders, anything they had managed to grab in the short ten minutes they had they threw at them. While Max had wanted to go after them with a steak knife he had found, Will had pointed out that he might kill someone accidentally. So he settled for throwing the microwave, which knocked out one official, throwing him into two others. Claire had armed herself with another lamp, which crashed into another official, sending glass shards everywhere.

"What the hell is this?!" the leader roared.

"No resistance?" his second in command muttered. "That's like saying the sky is pink."

"Quiet! I'm not going to stand by and be repelled by… KITCHENWARE! Draw your guns!"

"They're getting serious," Draken noted as he tossed a coffee maker at another official who had gotten too close.

"Then we will too!" Brandi declared. "I could use some exercise!"

"Don't overdo it," Perseus advised. The Soul Monsters had been staying back, except for Neo, who was having a great time throwing cooking devices at the officials, and Malon, who had latched himself onto one official's arm.

"No chance." Then Brandi lunged.

It was effective, to say at the least. Brandi slammed herself through several of the officials, throwing them back. It was a domino effect; many of the officials who were thrown back collided with other officials, sending them flying.

"Enough of this!" the leader snarled. He drew his gun, and fired at the approaching girl.

Brandi jumped back, avoiding the bullet, which lodged itself into the wall.

The distraction was all the remaining officials needed to bring out their guns.

"Hands in the air, or we'll shoot!" the second in command announced.

"We're screwed," Draken muttered.

"Give no quarter!" Miles shouted, throwing a wall clock at the second in command's head. It was a direct hit, and he collapsed.

"That's it!" the leader yelled. "Prepare to fire!"

Then his cell phone rang. He quickly picked it up. "Yes? What?! But sir…! Bah, fine!" He hung it up. "Retreat! We're going back to headquarters! We are not to harm the children!"

"But why?" one man protested.

"Because we have new orders, idiot! We're leaving, now!"

Although all of the officials did not understand why they were suddenly withdrawing, they could not refuse a direct order from their leader. In a matter of seconds, they were all gone, dragging the unconscious with them.

 "Um… what just happened?" Claire asked.

"We were saved, that's what," Draken replied. "I don't know why they left so abruptly, but it's all the better for us."

"And with that, we win the battle!" Miles declared.

"But not the war," Gen reminded him.

"Thanks for ruining the moment," Miles grumbled.

"Uh, guys? We have a much bigger problem on our hands right now," Amy pointed out.

Everyone looked around the front room, where glass shards, pieces of kitchen machinery, and silverware lay. There was also the wall, where a bullet struck.

"Not good," Darche commented. "Ms. Gales is NOT going to be happy."

"As if that wasn't completely obvious," Gaston responded.

"What on earth happened?" Rue called. After hearing the commotion downstairs, he had woken up, and after some violent oaths on his condition, had managed to stagger downstairs.

"The officials tried to arrest us, so we beat the hell out of them," Draken replied.

"And you didn't let me help? That's no fair!"

"Believe me, you will be very glad that you weren't part of this when mom gets home," Hope told him.

"Good point."

Malon walked over to the scattered objects, cautiously avoiding the glass, and carefully picked up a metal spoon in his jaws, and then brought it over to Hope.

She smiled at his cute appearance. "Malon's right. We'd better clean this up as best as we can, so that we'll at least survive my mom's wrath."

"Yeah," Amy agreed. She grabbed a rolling pin and threw it over at Rue. Since he didn't expect it, Rue was hit over the head, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"It was for you to catch. You may not have caused this area to be a disaster zone, but you can help us clean it up."

Rue muttered a few unpleasant remarks under his breath before bending down to grab some more silverware.

"Well, we need all of the help we can get!" Claire pointed out. "I'm sorry that I hurt you so badly, but you shouldn't have run into the room without knocking first!"

"That wasn't my fault!" Rue snarled. "I was in a hurry-we had no time to waste. And if you're so desperate for help, why isn't Larka here?"

"Oh! She must still be by the back door," Hope realized. "Hang on, I'll go get her."

She ran into the back. "Larka! Hey, Larka!" Then she stopped, looking around the room. "Larka? Hello?"

"What's wrong?" Gaston inquired, coming in after her.

"She's not here! But she said she'd stay by the back door, in case the officials came in this way…" She raised her voice. "Hey, Miles! Get in here!"

"Where's the fire?" Miles joked, walking in. The others followed him.

"Didn't Larka volunteer to stay back here?"

"Yeah. Why, isn't she here?"

"No! That's the problem! We can't find her anywhere!"

Malon growled suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Amy asked the puppy.

Fell had already seen it. He walked over to table nearby the door, having noticed something laying on it. He picked it up, looking at the front. By the back, Hope could tell that it was a Duel Monster card.

"What is it?" Brandi asked. "A card? But which one?"

Fell did not seem to hear her. He stared at the card for a few tense moments before slamming it back down on the table, and then leaving the room.

"What was that about?" Hope wondered, picking it up.

"Well?" Rue asked impatiently when she didn't say anything immediately.

"It's a monster card called Magical Scientist," Hope told them, showing the front to them. "But I don't understand why it would be here. I've never even heard of it… it doesn't belong to anyone here, right? Larka's deck is a Light one, so it can't be hers-this card's a Dark type."

"Actually, I'm guessing you own it now," Draken said. "Due to Fell's reaction, I doubt it was his."

"Yeah… he seemed furious…" Hope trailed off, staring at the card. "Of course! Remember what Larka told us? They were taken at a young age by a scientist named Viken, and forced to go through several experiments. They only recently escaped."

"And the point of that is…?" Rue asked.

"Don't be such a bonehead!" Hope snapped. "Obviously, the Magical Scientist stands for Viken! He must have kidnapped Larka!"

Malon snarled.

"It's a reasonable conclusion," Draken admitted. "We were distracted by the officials… it wouldn't have been hard for Viken to sneak in via the back door. Even with Larka there, she could have possibly been overpowered."

"It might not have even been Viken," Hope said. "Larka mentioned that Viken had many lab assistants. For all we know, a few of them might have come in."

"But I don't get it," Miles commented. "Why would Viken leave this card? It points to him, but why would he want us to know he did it?"

"I'm wondering about that too," Hope confessed.

"Simple," Will replied. "From what I've gathered, he wants to have his two specimen back, right? Well, we can assume that Fell is easily the stronger of the two, so Larka would be much easier to take. And Viken knows that her brother would do anything to save her. So Fell will go after him, only to fall into some kind of trap."

"Then it's a lose-lose situation!" Gaston protested.

"I'm afraid so," Will agreed.

"But what if Fell chooses not to go after him?" Draken questioned. "Judging by the way we've seen him act, he could care less about anyone but himself."

"Maybe he's not the most friendly guy out there, but he obviously loves his sister," Hope told him. "You weren't there when I first saw them, but Rue, Claire, Gaston, Ruecian, and Perseus should remember this. Fell probably could have gotten out of that lab much easier by himself, but he didn't. When we found him, he had two bullet wounds-one in his shoulder, the other in his leg-and Larka was unconscious. Despite his injuries, Fell had attempted to carry her as far as he could go."

"But something he said still makes me skeptical," Draken argued. "Didn't he say, back in that building in the sky, that if he could, he'd sever any feelings he had towards Larka?"

"But then he admitted that he couldn't, because… the bonds were too deep, I think that's the words he used," Gen reminded him. "Although I do believe that he could care less about the rest of us, his sister must mean something to him. He would do anything to save her."

"Gen is right," Daine spoke up. "Remember, I know my master better than anyone else, even though I have only recently come into existence. He will save Larka, even if it means dying… or even worse, being recaptured."

"You're sure?" Draken said doubtfully.

"My master acts as though he does not care about anyone but himself, but he loves his sister, no matter how much he tries to hide it. Also, as unlikely as it may seem to your eyes, he probably does care about all of you as well."

"Maybe when pigs start to fly," Draken snapped.

"I would not say it would be too unlikely. Fell has gone through much pain, and he does not want to deal with any more suffering, physically and mentally. That is why he wishes to stay away from us… he does not want to become friends with people who will eventually die, while he lives on."

"I said it before, and I'll say it again; that's a coward's way out!" Draken snarled. "My parents have died. I've seen my sister killed before my own eyes. And I've tried to kill the very people I now trust the most! And you don't see me shying away from everyone, just because their death might bring a little more pain into my life!"

"We all deal with pain in different ways," Daine told him. "Your method works for you, while my master's works for him. I could not change the way he thinks, even if I wanted to."

Malon whined at Daine.

"You are right… sorry," he replied to Malon, before turning to the others. "Malon says that we can discuss this later, and I agree. Even if my master, Malon, and I go alone, we will be leaving soon."

"But it must surely be a trap!" Claire protested. "Wouldn't it be better if someone besides Fell went?"

"It would, but he will go no matter how many times he is told it would be risky. He knows the hazards, and he will go anyway. And except for me and Malon, he will probably want to save Larka on his own."

"There's no way that he should go alone though," Hope said firmly. "I'm going. I don't care what Fell says about wanting to do it alone. Larka's my friend, and whether Fell likes it or not I'm going to take part in saving her!"

"Fell's a strong fighter, but you might want another. No offense Hope, but you suck at close range battles," Rue stated.

"Gee, thanks for pointing it out," she muttered.

"No problem. Well, as much as I'm at loathe to admit it, Max is one of our best warriors." He looked over at him. "How about it? Are you going to help them?"

Max shook his head. "No. I can't come."

"Why not? Don't you care about what happens to your friends?" Miles said.

"I don't have any friends," Max snapped. "They're only people with similar goals."

"Oh, lighten up!" Brandi told him. "Of course they're your friends."

"My friends? You think so? As if! You're nothing but a hypocrite!"

Brandi stared at him for a few seconds before running off, towards the stairs.

"That was a little harsh," Darche commented.

Max sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to say anything like that. It's just… well, Brandi got a phone call from Chasity, who said that our mother might be on the edge of death. Can you imagine how this is affecting me? If I go to see her, you're left to deal with Commanders of Heaven. If I don't, she might die, and I'll never have another opportunity…"

"I'm sorry," Miles said. "I didn't know that was the situation. You'd best go and make up with Brandi; she looked pretty hurt. If you want to stay here, that's fine. I assume Brandi will be staying too, since she has to look over Mana and everything?"

"Yeah." Then Max went to the stairs as well, Olympion following.

"You're not coming, Rue?" Hope asked.

"Nope. Sorry, but I'm worried about Ruecian. I really need to stay here for him. Besides, Claire nearly killed me, remember?"

"True." Hope looked over at Claire. "You're staying, right?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm not much of a fighter… I'd be of little use there. At least I can look over Ruecian and Mana while I'm here… they still need help."

"It's fine," Hope assured. "Does anyone else want to come?"

"I am!" Miles said enthusiastically.

"You?"

"Of course! Don't you think that Viken would have some kind of locks on his doors, and possibly the area where he has Larka? You're going to need a master thief, like me, to open them."

"Or a master klutz," Rue muttered.

"Look at the pot who called the kettle black," Miles retorted, before looking over at Draken. "You coming?"

"No. I'm sorry, but I just can't stand being with Fell. Larka's a good friend, and I am concerned about her, but Fell… I don't like him, at all."

"If that's the way you feel," Rue shrugged, before turning to Will. "And you?"

"Why not? Maybe I can help in some manner," Will said. "Although Neo should stay in his Soul Card-we don't need him to betray the fact that we've snuck into the lab."

"Hey!" Neo protested.

Hope looked over to Zack. "Are you staying?"

"No, I wish to assist you," he stated.

"Whew, at least we have two guys who don't mind killing any lab assistants that get in our way," Miles joked. "So what do we need to do to prepare?"

"We tell Fell that we're going, and he needs to come with us if he wants to go save her," Hope suggested.

"Let me," Daine said. "If my master will listen to any of us, it will be me."

"That's true," Gaston agreed. "Go ahead and do that. In the meantime, we'd better finish cleaning up this place."

-----

Max knocked on the door to Hope's room before opening it, to see Brandi sitting on the floor. She looked over to him.

"Brandi, listen. I'm really sorry about what I said, and I didn't mean it. I'm just torn on what to do… that's all."

Brandi nodded, but he could see that she still seemed depressed.

He sighed, and sat down beside her. "I never told you why I went to see our mother, did I?"

"Actually, no."

"Well, it was to ask for forgiveness for what I had done… for running away, and killing Jason. But there was something else I asked. I wanted to know if we could come home."

Brandi stared at him in shock.

"And her reply… was yes."

He didn't have the chance to say anything else as his sister hugged him. He had expected this kind of reaction-although she had never complained about being isolated, he knew that she only wanted to be able to go home and live with their mother again. But what he hadn't foreseen was the stench of blood that was still with her.

"You really need a shower," he commented when she let go.

She blushed, but nodded. "Yeah, I'll go ask Hope about it."

-----

Daine finally found Fell outside, on the roof again. He lay down beside him.

"Master… what are you thinking?"

"…Viken is behind this. I knew that we could not escape from him. He will never leave us alone… unless he is killed."

"And you want to kill him?"

"…Yes." Fell looked over at the rest of the houses. "For revenge, yes, but not for only me."

"For your sister too?"

"Yes."

"But revenge does not solve anything," Daine pointed out.

"…Despite what I have gone through in the labs, I still think much like any human would. Mortals crave for vengeance, and I do too. It is part of our nature… I cannot deny it."

"I will make no move to stop you, of course. Whether it is for revenge or not, Viken will continue to make others suffer, all for the sake of science. If killing is the only way to stop him, then so be it."

"…"

"But what about Larka? She is the real reason you are going, right?"

"…Yes."

"You care about her too deeply to let anything else happen to her. I know this better than anyone else, master."

"…"

"So, when shall we leave?"

"Now."

"Then I will tell the others."

Fell gave him an inquiring glance.

"Hope, Gaston, Will, Neo, Miles, Gen, Zack, and Malon want to come as well."

"..."

"Let them, master. You may think that you can handle this on your own, but you can not. For Larka's sake, accept their help, so that there are no more risks than necessary taken."

"The fewer that come, the better."

"True. That is why only the best for this mission are coming. Hope is much smarter than you might think her to be. Will is very intelligent as well, and I am sure he will be of great assistance. Miles can get us into the lab-it is his profession, after all. Zack is an excellent battler, as you have seen. He has also done several missions in various areas-he probably has done missions that are similar to this one."

"…"

"They are not coming because they think you are weak. They want to help their friends… both you and Larka."

"…They can do as they wish." Fell stood up. "They had best be ready soon though… because I will not wait."

-----

"Hope, you don't mind if I take a shower, do you?" Brandi asked. She had pulled Hope aside so that only she would hear the question.

"It isn't a problem. It's right across from my room."

"Thanks. I'll be back down as soon as I can." Then she ran back up.

Hope went back into the front room, where most of the group was picking up kitchenware, sweeping away glass, and gathering the remains of machines, such as the coffee maker.

"The microwave was overkill," Miles complained as he bent down to get the door of it.

"It worked though," Gen pointed out as he picked up yet another dented pan.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Max was still upstairs, with Olympion-nobody dared to try to get them to help. Zack was recharging again, to make sure that he would be ready for going to the lab. Nobody was sure of where Fell and Daine were, but they knew they would show up when it was the right time.

After a few more minutes of working, Fell was back, with Daine following him. Hope looked over to him.

"Hi Fell. Are you ready to go?"

He nodded.

"Once Zack finishes charging, we can leave. Do you remember the way to Viken's lab?"

Another nod.

"That's good… you're the only one who has any idea of where it is located. We'll be depending on your directions."

"…" Fell walked off to the family room.

"We will tell you when Zack is ready," Daine assured before running after Fell.

They spent the next moments working some more. Miles tied the trash bag closed, and soon found a problem. "Hey Rue, would you mind getting another bag? I'm all out."

"Yeah, hang on. Hope, where are the trash bags?" Rue called.

"In the bathroom."

"Thanks!" He ran up the stairs.

Hope's eyes widened. "Wait Rue! Don't go in there!"

He was too far up to hear her though.

"Oh great…" Hope groaned.

"What's the matter?" Draken asked.

"Just stop Rue from entering that room!"

"Um, ok…" He went upstairs too, looking over at the door, which was slightly open. Through it, he could hear quite a few cries of pain.

"I got here too late…" Draken muttered.

Then Rue collapsed through the door, before it slammed shut. Draken went over to him, and saw that his arms and legs had several bruises, and that his nose was bleeding. He also seemed to have his right eye blackened.

"You have a perfect sense of time," Draken told him.

"The pretty lights…" Rue mumbled before falling unconscious.

Draken dragged him off to the family room. Then he came back to the front room.

"Did you make it in time?" Hope asked.

"Nope."

"Is Rue still alive?"

"Somehow."

"That's good to know."

"Yep."

Amy had gone outside to put the trash bag where it could be picked up. She ran back inside. "Duck for cover! Ms. Gales is back!"

"Aw nuts," Hope muttered. "Let's hope she's in a good mood today."

-----

Brandi was in the guest room, visiting Mana.

"Are you alright now?"

"I think so… Claire managed to get the bullet out, so I should be ok soon."

"That's good."

"So how did the fight with the officials go?"

"Well, here's what happened…" Brandi was cut off by a sudden yell.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU NEEDED ALL OF THE KITCHENWARE TO FIGHT THE OFFICIALS?! AND THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN THE BULLETHOLE IN MY WALL!"

"Dang it," Brandi groaned. "If she comes in here, tell her I'm not available." Then she went underneath the bed Mana was in.

"Smart move," Mana commented.

-----

"HOPE LYN GALES, YOU ARE SO GROUNDED!" her mother screamed at her.

"I saw that coming," she sighed.

"NOW, WHO'S IDEA WAS IT TO USE MY KITCHENWARE TO DEFEAT THE OFFICIALS?!"

Everyone pointed at Miles.

"Gee, thanks for the support," Miles muttered.

"YOU ARE PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS! EVERY LAST PART! AND WHO BROKE MY MICROWAVE?!"

"That was Max's idea," Miles admitted.

"I wouldn't try to make him pay, mom," Hope suggested. "Olympion would probably kill you."

"THEN YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT!" she shouted at Miles.

"Hey! That's not fair!"

"LIFE ISN'T FAIR!" Ms. Gales stomped off into the kitchen.

"Aw damn it… how the heck am I going to be able to pay off all of this?" Miles wondered.

"That's your problem," Amy told him. "Hope, you had best get going soon. I'll hold off your mom until you get back."

"Thanks," Hope said. "I sure don't envy you."

"I can see why," Amy sighed.

Zack walked in, looking somewhat confused. "What happened?"

"My mom got home," Hope told him.

"I see."

"Will, Miles, Malon, we're leaving!" Hope called. They came instantly.

"YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE HOPE!"

"Have fun," Amy said before running over to confront Ms. Gales.

Fell and Daine came running into the room as well, and then they were off.

-----

"So how long will it take to reach there?" Gaston asked.

"…Half an hour."

"That's not too far," Miles commented.

"Yeah. It takes about ten minutes to reach the park at a leisurely pace, so maybe twenty minutes after that? Not bad at all," Hope stated.

Their trip was made mostly in silence, although Gaston and Neo were discussing a few things at certain times. They passed through the park easily, and continued on through the trees-according to Fell, the laboratory was isolated from other buildings.

"There's something I don't get," Miles said.

"You don't get a lot of things," Gen told him.

"Well, excuse me for not being Albert Einstein," Miles muttered. "But anyway, is this scientist supported by the government? If so, why? They must know of the horrible experiments Viken does."

"Maybe they have been told that Viken was experimenting on things that are not human," Will suggested. "Either that, or the government never looked into it."

"I guess so…" Miles still looked somewhat doubtful.

"I wouldn't put it past them," Zack said. "The government has more important things to worry about than small trivial manners, or so they would claim. If Viken claimed to be doing experiments to benefit our lives, and he was doing them on something that was not human, then they would probably accept that."

"You have a point," Miles agreed, now convinced.

After a few more minutes, Fell suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Hope asked.

"We are here."

They looked ahead, outside of the trees that they used to conceal themselves. There was a black building that was only one story tall, but quite big nevertheless. They could see two guards standing by the side of the front door, one on the left and one on the right.

"That's the place?" Gaston whispered.

"…Yes. This is the laboratory where my sister and I have suffered for almost all of our lives."

To be continued…


	26. Deliverer of Torture

Ok, one note so that CyberTigerAngel doesn't kill me. He often makes up these great puns for cards when he duels, and I used one for this chapter. He'll know what I mean… point being, now that I've given him credit, he won't kill me! Yay!

Captain Obvious: LOL, nice user name.

John: Sure you aren't…

**Chapter 26: Deliverer of Torture**

"Now, the question is, how are we going to get in?" Miles muttered as he stared at the front door.

"We'll need to take the guards out from a distance," Hope stated. "Any suggestions?"

"Be ready to bolt for the door," Will said, bringing forth two kunai.

"You can hit them?" Hope asked.

"Yes; I've been practicing over the last month." Will looked over to the Soul Monsters. "Gaston, Neo, and Gen should enter their Soul Cards, to attract less attention."

"You'll call us if needed, right?" Gaston asked.

"Of course," Hope assured. "We'll tell you how it goes later, once we make it out of that place."

"Why does Daine get to stay with you?" Neo inquired.

"He will be much more helpful in there," Gen answered. "Think about it. The only thing you and Gaston could do is kill any guards that we see, but Will, Fell, and Zack can do that too. I can open locked doorways, but Miles can too. Daine will be needed for his sense of smell and hearing, to alert them of things that are coming."

"I guess you have a point," Neo agreed before vanishing. Gaston and Gen followed.

"Is everyone ready?" Will asked.

Their silence answered him. Will picked up the kunai and expertly threw it at the guard to the left of the door.

It struck him in the throat, causing him to fall without a sound. The other one looked over at his companion in surprise, but before he could do anything, he was hit in the throat as well.

They ran to the door, Will stopping to collect his kunai.

Miles eyed the door in disgust. "An electric lock. It requires a number combination. Sorry guys, but we've just found the one kind of lock I can't get by."

"So you mean that we can't go on?" Hope said. "Fell, is there another way in?"

"…I do not think so."

"Damn it," Miles groaned. "Then there's no way we're about to get in. We might as well get out of here before we're caught."

"Wait. There might be a way to get in," Zack announced.

"Really?" Miles looked over at him. "And how do you suggest we get through this door?"

"Remember, many of my body parts have been replaced with machine parts. Just give me a few seconds." Zack went up to the device and placed his left hand on it. It began to glow blue, the color of his electricity. His eyes were closed as the device too began to glow slightly. For several seconds that seemed to stretch into hours for the impatient onlookers, he stayed in that position. Then he suddenly broke his hand away from it, the glow automatically vanishing. He quickly typed in a code on the panel, and the door slid open.

"Cool. How did you pull that off?" Miles inquired as they walked in.

Zack seemed a little tired from what he had done, but he kept up easily with the others. "I searched the database of it to extract the correct code. It's a simple procedure, but it also exhausts me somewhat. If necessary, I can do it again, but if I'm forced to keep doing it then I won't have much energy left."

"Let's hope you don't have to then," Hope stated.

-----

Larka slowly came to on a familiar place, one that she was not in the least bit happy to be at.

A metal examining table.

Her arms and legs were constrained by metal clasps, making it impossible to move. She still felt tired as well, but the drug that had caused her to fall asleep was wearing off quickly.

_What… happened? I was at the back door in Hope's house... and someone leapt in. That's all I can remember…_

_Where am I? No… this can't be… Viken's laboratory? That just can't be…_

Her sensitive ears picked up the sound of someone approaching. She didn't have to see him to know who he was.

_I know those footsteps so well…_

"Well, it seems you are finally conscious," she heard the man hiss.

"You…" she whispered.

"Yes. I'm glad that you still remember who I am." She heard him walk around the table, but still refused to look at him. "Stubborn as always, aren't you. I must say that I did not expect such a bold move as running away though. I thought it wouldn't be much of a problem, but I had forgotten how idiotic my assistants could be. So I've decided to try another tactic. 'If you want something done, do it yourself'… how I agree with that."

"My brother…"

"Ah, him. No, I had no chance to take him as well. But I've left something that will be sure to point to me as the one who has taken you. In all due time, he will be here… and I will be ready to capture him. But in the meantime, I can begin a procedure I need to take care of soon." Without a word of warning, he thrust a needle into her left arm. She just lay there, knowing what he was doing. He had often taken blood samples from her, and compared to other things he did, this was absolutely nothing.

She heard him walk to the back of the room, where she knew a computer and microscope were. The stand equipment he used to test blood samples.

"Hm… intriguing. A small change, but not very significant… it must be as a result of being exposed to the outside world," he murmured, more to himself than to Larka. "Not to mention being exposed to the moon in a much more natural way… yes, very interesting. Maybe I should try to use outdoor areas for experiments more often…"

The quick typing at the computer informed Larka that her captor was writing up some more information he had discovered. She forced herself to steady her breathing.

_Relax… Fell will come. He'll save me… _But remembering what the scientist had said, she felt hesitant. _Then again… it would be better if he did not come. But I know that he will. Oh Fell, please be careful!_

"That will be all for now," she heard the man announce, before walking over to the door. "My other experiments will have to wait until I take a blood sample from the other specimen…" His voice trailed off as his cell phone rang. He picked it up. "Yes?" After a pause, he replied, "They are dead, and the intruders are inside? I see. Is it ready? Good. Call me back when you know what the results are." Then he hung up.

"He is already here. There is nothing to do but wait for now."

Larka closed her eyes, silently praying.

-----

They proceeded down the hall cautiously, but with no difficulty. They soon arrived in a room with three doors. All of them were locked, except for the center door.

"Drat. Which door do we need to take?" Miles asked.

"…The one to the right."

"I'm on it!" Miles quickly drew out a lock pick, and set to work on the door. "I'll be done pretty quickly…"

"I wonder what the other doors are for?" Hope thought out loud.

"One for the guards, one for equipment?" Will suggested.

"Most likely," Daine agreed.

Miles turned to them, still holding the lock. "Success!"

"Then let's get moving," Hope suggested.

"Freeze!"

"A little too late for that," Miles muttered as several guards leapt out from the center door.

Almost instantly, one of them brought a gun forth, and fired. Hope would have been hit if Zack hadn't jumped in the way, taking the shot in the arm. Everyone else instantly ducked, dodging the other shots narrowly.

Zack pulled the object out of his arm. "A dart?"

"Tranquilizer darts perhaps?" Will said, hurling a kunai at one of the guards. His target fell to the floor, having been hit between the eyes.

"So they want to take us alive?" Hope inferred.

"Seems like it," Miles stated. "They'll have a hard time with Zack though-he can't be hit in the veins since he doesn't even have any."

 By this time, five officials lay on the floor, dead from kunai hits. Two others had fallen as well from Zack's switchblade. Daine had ripped the windpipe out of another, bringing the total number dead to eight.

Miles yelped as he was struck in the shoulder by one of the darts, and he pulled it out. "Annoying things. At least it missed a vein."

"We won't be able to keep this up!" Hope exclaimed. "We are way too outnumbered!"

Hope, Will, Miles, and Malon had fallen to the back of the room. They could not call out their Soul Monsters, due to the lack of room to fight, but Will continued to toss kunai. Zack and Daine continued to attack. Fell was nearby the front too, but he hadn't made any move to attack yet. Instead, he looked over to Zack and Daine.

"Move out of the way."

Daine instantly obeyed, charging over to the others. Zack soon followed, leaving another guard lying on the floor with a slashed throat.

Then Fell leapt at them. He sped at the first guard, and in less than a second he and two others were dead, slashed to pieces.

It was extremely hard to even see Fell now, he was moving so fast. Guards collapsed left and right, cut down so swiftly that he was already elsewhere before their corpses landed on the ground.

It was over before the others could grasp what had happened. Fell calmly cleaned his hands on one of the dead guard's shirt while everyone else tried to understand what had occurred.

"What… the HELL… was THAT?!" Miles said in disbelief.

"Larka wasn't kidding when she said that they could run incredibly fast speeds if necessary," Hope realized.

"Well, we've seen him do it before, just not to kill such a large group of men," Will pointed out.

"The only person I've seen move that fast is Brandi," Hope recalled. "I wonder which person is faster?"

"I believe Brandi is slightly faster," Will stated. "However, she has the disadvantage of having her leg muscles torn when she does so. Fell, on the other hand, has no problems like that, so he gets to run quickly, but not as fast. Maybe we should discuss this later though. Let's get moving before we're ambushed again."

They went on, through the right door.

-----

"It failed?" he snapped, listening to his observer as he explained how the attack had gone. "I told them to specifically aim for the specimen, damn it! Do they even listen to instructions?" Another pause. "Oh well, it should not be a problem. I'll take care of him myself." He pressed the end button. "So we will finally confront each other. This should be a remarkable match…"

-----

"And here folks is yet another nice, metal door," Miles commented. "Without a lock, which we should all be happy about."

Malon growled as Daine perked his ears.

"Someone is in there."

"…It is him," Fell said. And without further hesitation, he opened the door, and stepped in, the others following. Miles, being the last one to enter, was considerate enough to close the door behind him.

The laboratory had a long, metal table with several sharp instruments, none of which looked pleasant. Hope was aghast to see that a few still seemed to have blood on them. Another table had several beakers and test tubes, with a different liquid in each. There was a computer that was hooked up to a microscope nearby. Two other locked doors were there, one on the left side of the room and the other straight ahead from the hallway that they had left.

There was also a metal examining table, with someone attached to it. Hope instantly recognized who it was.

"Larka!" she exclaimed.

Larka looked over at them. "Get out of here! Don't worry about me, just go! I'm not worth risking yourselves over!"

"As if we would leave you in some mad man's lair," Miles snorted. "We aren't about to leave until that freak is dead, especially if Fell gets to rip him apart as he wants to."

Fell cast a quick look over at his sister before turning his attention to the other person. A man who wore white clothes that were covered in a lab coat. His black hair seemed uncared for, and hung to his shoulders. His eyes were also a surprising black, which caused Hope to shiver mentally.

"Viken," Fell said, staring at him. "I knew we could not leave you alive."

"But obviously, you did not take precautions," Viken told him. "Now you are in a rather inconvenient position, wouldn't you agree?" He brought out a knife. "One wrong move, and I could easily slay this specimen. But I am in need of you two, and it never hurts to have more specimens."

"Sicko," Miles muttered.

"So, I have come up with a logical solution," Viken announced. He threw a metal collar over to Fell, who caught it easily.

Viken attached an identical one to his neck. "Put yours on as well."

Fell did so. It snapped on easily.

"Here is what will happen. We will duel, and the winner's collar will immediately detach itself. The loser's, however, will have needles come forth from it to inject themselves into the victim. Yours will cause you to instantly become paralyzed. The poison inside of mine will release itself into my blood stream, and I will die."

"You're a duelist?" Will inquired.

"I don't play often, but when I do… I win. Whether you call my method of winning cheap or not is your decision."

"I have no Duel Disk," Fell stated.

"I expected that." Viken tossed him one, and put on his own. "Did you at least bring your deck?"

As an answer, Fell brought forth his deck, sliding it into the Duel Disk.

"Whoa, wait a minute! You aren't accepting this, are you?" Miles said.

"It's a little too late for him to back out," Will pointed out. "We can only hope that he will pull this out."

Daine leapt to Fell's side, snarling at the scientist.

"I have no Deck Master," Viken told him. "I have never needed one… well, shall we begin?"

Malon whined, looking over at Larka.

"It'll be ok," Hope assured him. "Fell will win. He's come too far to lose now…"

-----

"So, do you have any eights?" Rue asked.

"Go Fish," Draken replied.

"Damn it." Rue drew a card.

Claire looked over at them. "How can you two be playing a game at a time like this?"

"It beats sitting around worrying, like you are," Draken pointed out. "Any threes?"

"Did I ever mention that I hate you?" Rue muttered, handing over the cards.

"Only a few million times," Draken told him, accepting the threes.

-----

Max walked over to Ms. Gales' room. He had decided to take a break from thinking over his situation, and wanted to talk to her.

She was currently debating with Amy about the event that had occurred downstairs.

"-and I will NOT put up with it! I just can't take this any more! I only need one more thing-just one-to drive me completely insane!"

"So you blame it on your daughter?" Max stated dryly.

Neither Ms. Gales or Amy had heard him come in, and jumped when they heard him speak.

"Geez Max, give us a warning next time!" Amy exclaimed.

"What do you mean, I'm blaming my daughter?"

"Well, you started yelling at her, saying she was grounded. Why her? It wasn't even her idea. Besides, would you rather that she get arrested by the officials for something she did not even do, including others who are innocent?"

"…You're right," Ms. Gales sighed. "I'm just overwhelmed… and in the need of new kitchenware. That boy had better pay for everything when he gets back!"

"I'm sure he will, rather than face your wrath," Amy commented before leaving, Max following.

When they were in the hall, Amy turned to face Max. "How did you do it? How did you manage to make her listen to you?"

"It's called a direct approach," Max said simply before going back to Hope's room.

"…Interesting. I have no idea why I haven't tried that," Amy thought out loud. "Note to self: give it an attempt in the future."

-----

Fell: 8000

Viken: 8000

"How will we decide who goes first?" Hope questioned.

Miles put a hand behind his back. "Mad scientist guy, pick even or odd."

"I hate gambling," Viken muttered. "Even?"

"You fail!" Miles told him. "It's three. I chose an odd number, because it suits you!"

"Just a suggestion; do not make the insane guy who could stab us to death angry," Hope suggested.

"Good advice," Viken smirked.

Fell drew. "…Two cards, and Executioner Makyura. (1600/1200) End turn."

Viken looked at his hand, and sneered. "I have already won. First, I play Tempest, destroying both of your face down cards."

"…Activate Destruction Ring, destroying Executioner Makyura. Attack Nullification is destroyed."

Fell: 6400

Viken: 6400

"Using Destruction Ring on your own monster? How sad! But the cards I hold in my hand make that play a better one than you might think. First, I summon Cannon Soldier. (1400/1300) Next, I play Will. When one of my monsters is destroyed this turn, I special summon a monster with 1500 attack or less from my deck to the field. I also play another Will! Now I will get two monsters. I sacrifice Cannon Soldier to activate his effect. You take 500 damage, and my Wills activate!"

Fell: 5900

Viken: 6400

"I will choose to special summon Magical Scientist and Catapult Turtle. (300/300) (1000/2000) Now, I activate Magical Scientist's effect. By paying 1000 Life Points, I can special summon a Fusion monster that is level six or lower from my Fusion deck. So I call forth Crimson Bird! (2300/1800)"

Fell: 5900

Viken: 5400

"Then I pay 2000 more to get two more Crimson Birds!"

Fell: 5900

Viken: 3400

"That means Fell is dead!" Miles exclaimed. "He doesn't stand a chance against all of them attacking at once!"

"Oh, it looks like I forgot to mention something. Any Fusion monsters that come from Magical Scientist's effect cannot attack directly."

"Then what's the point?" Hope asked.

"You obviously do not know what Catapult Turtle's effect is. By sacrificing one monster on my side of the field, the opponent loses Life Points equal to half of the monster's attack. So offering a Crimson Bird will do 1150 damage, for example."

"Then he's lost anyway," Will realized. "After he offers all three of his Crimson Birds, he will still have enough Life Points to bring out enough monsters to sacrifice to his Catapult Turtle."

"Correct! I will sacrifice one of my Crimson Birds to activate Catapult Turtle's effect!"

Suddenly, white light shot out from the Magical Scientist and Catapult Turtle. The Scientist fell to his knees, grasping his chest in agony, while the Catapult Turtle snarled in pain.

"What the hell happened?!" Viken shouted.

Fell gave him a small smirk. "I have activated Skill Drain. I pay 1000 Life Points, and all monsters on the field have their effects negated."

Fell: 4900

Viken: 3400

"But you have no traps!" Viken protested.

"Oh, now I see!" Hope said. "Fell destroyed his own Executioner Makyura so that he could use his effect! On the turn that Executioner Makyura is sent to the Cemetery, Fell is allowed to activate trap cards from his hand!"

"Damn set backs," Viken snarled. "I'll have Magical Scientist and Catapult Turtle attack directly!"

Fell: 3600

Viken: 3400

"I lay two cards down, and end my turn. That causes the monsters I special summoned to go back to the Fusion deck."

Fell looked at his new card for a second, before summoning it. "Blood Vors. (1900/1200) Activate Cyclone on your left card."

"I'll chain it. It is an instant magic card called Toxin Tubes." Two tubes appeared. The one in his left hand had a vile, purple liquid that bubbled and smoked. The green one looked just as atrocious, and was bubbling as well, with smoke coming from it.

He eyed them. "Hm… I believe the green one will suffice." He drank it quickly.

"My disgust in this guy has just gone up a whole lot," Miles stated.

"As has my impatience for your arrogant mouth," Viken replied. He threw the purple test tube at Miles.

The explosion caused everyone to cover their ears. When they looked up, they saw that Miles' clothing had become charred.

"That was not cool," Miles growled, eyeing his clothes.

"Look on the bright side; you weren't wearing your bandana!" Hope pointed out.

"Toxin Tubes has two effects to choose from. I chose to gain 1200 Life Points. While I could have done 800 damage to you instead, I find that it would be too weak."

Fell: 3600

Viken: 4600

"Attack Catapult Turtle. Lay one card down."

Fell: 3600

Viken: 3700

"My turn, I assume? You never were one who liked to talk… even as a child, you preferred to hide your emotions. I could always tell what the other one was thinking… she couldn't help but betray what she was feeling, just from her face. But you were a strange one… no matter how much pain was inflicted, your cold personality didn't change. Maybe that's why I prefer comparing the two of you; with such different characteristics, I get so many unique results."

"…"

"Enough rambling. I will activate my trap card, Careless Avarice. This allows me to draw two cards, but I will be forced to skip my next two draw phases. Ah, very good. I will play Raise Dead on my Catapult Turtle, to put it in defense mode. (1000/2000) After that, I switch Magical Scientist to defense mode, and lay one card down. It's your turn."

"…Summon Mad Dog of Darkness. (1900/1400) Equip it with Demon Axe, raising its attack by 1000. (2900/1400) Attack Catapult Turtle."

"I'll activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force. That destroys your two monsters."

"…End turn."

"I'll summon Fleet-Footed Gilasaurus. (1400/400) It attacks!"

Fell: 2200

Viken: 3700

"Why on earth would you use a Gilasaurus in a Magical Scientist deck?" Miles inquired.

"It's another combination to bring out Magical Scientist and Catapult Turtle at the same time. Special summon Gilasaurus with his effect, and activate Will. Then play Black Hole, and special summon Catapult Turtle. Finally, summon Magical Scientist."

"Interesting way to do it," Will commented.

"I will also activate another Toxin Tubes!" Viken took the green tube and poured it into the purple one, causing it to turn into a very dark, sick looking greenish-brown potion. He threw it at Fell. When the smoke cleared from the explosion, Fell's skin was slightly blackened from burns, but his black clothes and hair showed no signs of looking any different.

"I chose to do 800 damage to you this time," Viken stated.

"We never would have guessed," Miles said sarcastically.

Fell: 1400

Viken: 3700

Fell looked at his card, and then at Daine. "Now."

"Right away, master." Daine's loud, eerie howl echoed through the room, bringing forth another Mad Dog of Darkness. (1900/1400)

"How did you do that?"

"Once per duel, I am allowed to special summon one Dark Main-Type that is level four or lower from my master's deck," Daine explained.

Fell laid one card down, and then beckoned to the Gilasaurus. It was torn apart by the Mad Dog.

Fell: 1400

Viken: 3200

"Blast it all," Viken snarled. "There's only one thing left to do. I sacrifice Magical Scientist for one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"…Emissary of Obliteration. It removes your face down monster from the game."

"Damn it to hell… my Catapult Turtle…"

"Also activate Enemy Controller from my field. It switches your other Catapult Turtle to attack mode."

"What?!"

"Attack Catapult Turtle, and end my turn."

Fell: 1400

Viken: 2300

"Fell sure has the upper hand," Hope commented.

"It could still go either way," Will reminded her.

Malon whined softly.

"I activate Shallow Grave! This special summons one monster from each of our Cemeteries to our fields, in face down defense mode."

Fell quickly selected one and put it face down, while Viken chose one of his own.

"And that ends my turn."

Fell stared at his next card for a minute.

"…I have won."

"What?"

"Flip summon Mad Dog of Darkness, and then summon one final Mad Dog."

The three Mad Dogs growled at the scientist.

"And what good will that do?"

"I activate a magic card, Delta Attack."

"Delta Attack?"

"It can only be activated when I have three normal monsters on my field that share the same name. They are allowed to attack you directly for this turn."

"No!"

"Attack directly."

The three Mad Dogs leapt at Viken, biting, scratching, and snarling as they tore at him.

Fell: 1400

Viken: 0

The collar around Fell's neck detached itself and hit the floor with a clang. Viken gasped, and suddenly fell to his knees. Wincing in pain, he said, "So you've won… that is the problem with Magical Scientist decks; you either win instantly, or lose almost as quickly. You may have defeated me, but remember that I have still done several things to alter your lives forever." He sighed. "How I would have loved to see how it turned out… oh well. The point is, you do not yet know what either of you are completely capable of. Neither do I. And I am afraid it will remain that way. But I will extract my revenge, even if I have to wait in Hell for eternity, until you come to join me!"

"Maybe I, but not my sister," Fell stated.

Viken sneered. "If you even believe in that kind of stuff. I personally do not-after all, I am a scientist. I only believe… solid facts… and I know, for a fact… that my time is now… up… and I was… so… close… yes… one day… I will have my vengeance… on you and your sister…" Then he collapsed.

Will went over to him, and picked up his arm. "No pulse. That poison must have done its work well." He closely examined the scientist's neck, and shook his head. "Blood. Yeah, the needles must have entered his blood stream, just as he said."

Fell ignored his foe's corpse, moving over to where his sister lay on the examining table. He pressed a button on the side of the table, and the clasps that held her down were released. She barely had time to sit up before she was tackled by Malon, who was yipping as his tail wagged furiously. He began rapidly licking her face.

"Hey, stop it! I'm ok!" Larka laughed, prying the puppy off of her. She looked over at the others. "Thanks for coming for me."

"Are you alright?" Hope asked.

"Yeah. All he had time to do was take a blood test from me." She showed them her arm, where the bleeding had already stopped. She managed to stand, putting Malon back on the floor. Then she walked over to her brother, who was eyeing her, apparently not satisfied with her answer.

He was rather shocked when she suddenly hugged him, and immediately stiffened. He could not remember ever having been embraced, and he didn't really feel comfortable with it.

To his hidden relief, she let go of him quickly, to examine his face. "Are you hurt? Your face looks somewhat burned."

"…I am fine."

She smiled at him. "I somehow knew you would come. You may try to deny it, but you do care about me."

"…" He couldn't really think of an answer to that.

"Hey, that's great and all, but can we discuss this later?" Miles requested. "I doubt those guards will be congratulating us for killing their boss."

"That's true," Hope nodded. "Alright, let's get out of here."

Daine took the lead, Malon right behind him. The two dogs suddenly halted before the door to the next room, where they had been ambushed.

"There are about two people outside," Daine announced. "Let me handle it."

He burst out into the room, and instantly slaughtered one guard. The other one went down as well before he even had time to cry out.

They swiftly ran out before any of the other guards were alerted. Meeting no resistance outside, they found it easy to get back under the cover of the trees.

"Well, that wasn't too bad," Hope said. "At least we won't have to worry about him anymore."

"Yeah…" Larka sighed. "I kept worrying about him. I'm glad that he's gone now."

"What do you mean, it wasn't too bad?!" Miles exclaimed. "My clothes are completely ruined, all because I mouthed off some whacked out scientist freak!"

"You only have yourself to blame," Will pointed out.

"That's true… hey, wait!"

-----

After they got a safe distance away from the laboratory, Hope, Will, and Miles let their Soul Monsters emerge. They spent the remainder of the trip to Hope's house explaining what had happened inside the building.

When they finally arrived, Hope knocked on the door. Amy answered.

"Hi!" She caught sight of Larka. "I'm glad to see that you're ok!"

"Same here," Larka replied.

"Hey Hope, Max convinced your mom to let you get off of being grounded," Amy told her as they stepped inside.

"Really? That's great, but why would he do that?" Hope wondered.

"Ask him yourself," Amy shrugged. "Miles! What on earth happened to you?"

"A mad scientist threw a test tube at me, and it exploded."

"Do you have any spare clothes?" Amy asked.

"I brought many extras," Miles assured.

"That's good, because your old ones are ruined. That Robin guy had sliced up your shirt a little bit too much. Claire did wash your bandana though, so be sure to go get it from her."

"Alright."

"Same with your cape Neo," she said.

"About time," he muttered.

"Claire's inside the family room," Amy told them. "I'm going to go help your mom make dinner."

They went inside the room, stopping to watch Rue and Draken. They were so caught into their card game that they didn't even notice the visitors.

"You've got to have a king!" Rue snapped.

"Nope. Go Fish."

"Oh my gosh!" Rue snarled, picking up another card from the pile.

"I'll take your sixes."

"Go to hell," was Rue's reply as he forfeited his cards.

"I already have, and I didn't like the place much." Draken looked over and saw the others. "Hey guys. Glad to see that you made it out alright… well, except for you Miles. What happened to you?"

"I'll explain later," Miles sighed. "Claire, do you have my bandana?"

"Yeah, it's right here. Oh, and here's your cape Neo."

"Thanks." Miles went upstairs, and was soon back downstairs. He now had on a dark red t-shirt and dark black shorts.

"You seem to like dark colors," Hope commented.

"Yep."

Neo had also put on his cape, and Miles had tied his bandana back on. Rue and Draken soon ended their game (Draken won, of course). After telling of what had happened in the laboratory, they asked about Max.

"How is he?" Hope inquired.

"He hasn't come down here at all," Claire replied. "Brandi is up there too."

"Why don't you go and get them?" Amy suggested. She had come in to listen to the tale. "Dinner's nearly ready, and they should be down here to eat too."

"Alright," Hope agreed.  She ran upstairs, and knocked politely on the guest room door.

"Who is it?" Brandi called.

"Hope."

"Come in."

Hope walked inside, to see that Ruecian was still asleep, while Mana was awake. Brandi had been talking to her, but now she stood up.

"So, did you find Larka?"

"Yes."

"That's good. Is there anything else you wanted?"

"Dinner's ready."

"I'll be right down."

Hope left, walking towards her room. She halted when she saw Olympion though. He hissed softly, looking over at her.

"I need to speak with Max. Can I come in?" she asked somewhat nervously.

Olympion seemed to consider, and then moved out of the way of the door. She knocked before walking in.

She found Max lying on the lower bunk.

"Max?" When he didn't respond, she knelt down. "Are you asleep?"

She looked into his face and saw that his eyes were open. "Ok, so you aren't. Hey Max, come on, say something!"

He didn't respond.

She sighed. "And I wanted to ask you about why you asked mom to not ground me."

"Because I felt like it."

Hope jumped as she heard Max suddenly speak. He stood up.

"Sorry. I was a little bit distracted."

"Um… no problem. I just wanted to tell you that dinner's ready."

"Alright, I'm coming."

"Can I also… ask you a question?"

He turned to her. "Yeah?"

Hope blushed slightly. "Remember when we told you about Zack nearly killing me when you had amnesia?"

"What about it?"

"Afterwards, I asked you why you did." Her blush deepened. "You said it… was because you thought you loved me. Do you have any idea why you said that?"

Max turned away quickly. "Um, no. I don't have any clue. See you downstairs." He hastily opened the door and ran out.

Hope sighed. "I knew it was just his amnesia… there's no way he could mean anything like that. But why do I feel depressed about that?" Trying not to think about it, she went downstairs.

She was the last one to arrive, except for Zack. Since he didn't need to eat or drink anything, he had gone back to the living room to recharge. The Soul Monsters were in the family room, not needing to eat either. Hope took her place at the table, and eyed some of the kitchenware.

"These aren't ours, are they mom?"

"I borrowed them from neighbors, thanks to a certain someone who decided to break ours," Ms. Gales said, glaring at Miles.

"Um… why are you looking me like that?" Miles said, looking in another direction to avoid her stare.

Will looked over at Larka, who had just devoured a chicken leg and was now gnawing at the bone. "I noticed that you ate meat yesterday, too. In fact, every time you and your brother have eaten, it has been meat. Why?"

"Side effects from being part wolf," Larka explained, putting aside the bone and picking up another leg. "We have picked up a few habits, one being the fact that wolves only eat fruit and vegetables if they're on the point of starving. So yeah, if we have a choice, we'll always choose meat."

Will looked over at Fell, who was occupied by a thigh. "I see."

Dinner passed uneventfully. When they were done, Hope finally decided to say what had been bothering her.

"Why did the officials suddenly leave? Their leader said something about new orders?"

"Yeah, I don't get that either," Draken admitted.

"Maybe the news will have something on it?" Amy suggested.

"Good point, let's go look," Claire agreed.

They went to the family room, and Amy turned it on.

"Can you hear me now? Good!"

"I hate Sprint commercials," Rue muttered.

Amy changed the channel, and this time there was a news reporter.

"-the little girl has been safely returned home, much to her parent's relief. Now, onto our top story. The officials, as they are called, are a group that run Teknisk Wereld and make sure its rules are followed. But lately, they seem to have been abusing their powers. The people that were previously wanted were apparently set up by one of the official's highest leaders, a lady called Malady Stillwell. She was ordering all officials to capture or kill the group of innocents. A teen named Matt Leo discovered enough evidence to show us of the plans that Malady Stillwell was making. However, she was already dead, or so the officials claim. While this case is still being looked into, the officials have been stripped of all previous powers given to them. The ones previously wanted are now confirmed innocent. More information will be given later. Now, onto weather."

Amy shut it off as the others stared at it.

"Matt saved us?" Rue said in disbelief.

"Great. Now we owe him big time," Miles joked.

"We'll have to thank him later," Hope commented. "But I suggest we get some sleep now. We've had a long day, after all. As for tomorrow… let's discuss what we'll do then."

"I'll second that," Will agreed.

"Alright folks, here are the sleeping arrangements," Amy announced. "The boys get to sleep in the living room, and the girls here in the family room."

Hope turned to Max. "Do you want to continue to sleep in my room?"

"You don't mind?"

"Not really," Hope shrugged. "You are still injured, after all."

Brandi came over to them. "Do you mind if I sleep on the floor in your room, Hope?"

_Poor Brandi.__ She was without Max for a whole month at least… no wonder she doesn't want to leave him for very long._

"Sure, it isn't a problem."

"Thanks."

They drifted off to their sleeping areas, while Fell went outside again.

"Man, he's such a weirdo," Rue complained. "Why does he always go outside to sleep?"

"He prefers to sleep in higher areas, such as the top of the roof in this case, for three main reasons, although there might be others I don't know about," Larka said. "One is that he likes to be higher for the better view of the area, and another is that he can't be ambushed as easily. He also prefers to be alone, and as you can guess not many like to sleep in such tall areas!"

"But it's safe enough in here."

"It's just instinct for him."

Soon everyone was in deep sleep, even Fell, who often had a difficult time relaxing enough to close his eyes.

To be continued…


	27. Mounting Tension

I am very sorry that this took a while to get up. Writer's block is evil.

John: …I'm sure. And yes, it was original, thanks for noticing. Your second review was pretty lame if you'll excuse me for saying that, but it was a nice try. And thank you for reviewing three times, it makes me feel special.

Demon Fan: Yeah, those shows rock. Good enough for an Anime? I can dream on, but thanks for saying that.

Archsaugin: Yay, a new reviewer! (Or I think you are…) Thanks for reading.

Dragran: Ah, you're still reading this. Thank you for the compliment, I hope you continue to enjoy it.

**Chapter 27: Mounting Tension**

"So the officials are not on our side any more, I assume?"

"That's correct sir."

"Hmph. They were helpful by being decoys, but we can still carry this out without them."

"Sir, do you have any new orders?"

The white cloaked man typed up a couple of commands on his computer, and began going over profiles of previous battles his Commanders of Heaven had dealt with.

"…sir?"

"Yes, I do. My orders are to shut up until you get further commands."

_I know I'm missing something…_ He looked over the duels, dismissing them all. _I know all of this! What is it that…_ His eyes halted on the description of one duel an official had had. One called Guy.

_That's it! Now I know…_

"I have new orders for you," he announced.

"Sir?"

"Take three Commanders with you. They do not need to have decks, or be any good at dueling. I need physical strength alone."

"And the orders?"

"Capture the boy called Rue. You do know who he is, I should hope. Do not kill him under any circumstances. I want him taken alive!"

"When?"

"As soon as possible. It will be necessary to have him before we can continue. Now go!"

"Yes sir!" Then the connection was cut off as he ended the call.

"I will enjoy seeing this play out…" the man in the white cloak smirked, before going to make preparations.

-----

The man nodded in approval. "Now it is ready. All we need is the boy before finally unleashing it…" He brought out a card from his pocket. "In just a few more days, you will finally be brought forth."

Then he felt it. A shock through his whole body. And almost immediately, it was gone. But he had felt it. It was something he thought he would never feel.

A feeling that spoke of strength… a being that was too powerful to exist. It wasn't right… it shouldn't have ever been created… nothing could control it.

This was the power he sought to tame.

He shook his head. _Scared? Feh! It was no more than a feeling. I have come too far to back down now. I will not stop. I cannot stop…_

-----

Sarius sighed, staring at the trees. "Normally, being in the forest calms me. Not this time though. But it is understandable. Over just the past few days, so many events have occurred."

The Child nodded, tossing the golden ball into the air before catching it.

It was nighttime. They had spent most of the day resting in the forest, while Sarius considered his options.

"I have found the one I was seeking," Sarius thought out loud. "And I will have to confront her before it Juno does so. But when should I make a move?" He shook his head. "Fell is going to be a problem as well. I do not know enough about him to have a foresight on what he will do." He shrugged. "Oh well. I can worry about that later. Right now, Juno does not even know who she is, and as long as that fact remains, he is of no threat at the moment."

Suddenly, he felt something. It was like a sudden jolt that went through his body, a shock that disappeared in less than one second. But he had felt it.

Raid snarled violently, while Cyrus jumped up. The Child froze, staring at the golden ball in his hands. It was glowing with a soft, gold light.

Then the glow faded just as quickly as the feeling they had all encountered.

"What the hell was that?" Sarius muttered, staring at the golden ball.

The Child stood up, still looking at the ball. But it was not reacting anymore.

Sarius looked over in the direction of the lake. "Could it be?"

Raid hissed as Cyrus looked uncertain about something.

Sarius made his decision. "Come on. We're going to the lake. We cannot ignore this incident."

The Child nodded, following him. Their Soul Monsters came as well, and Sarius led the way.

-----

Hope suddenly opened her eyes, becoming awake in an instant.

_What was that? A shock of some kind? But it only lasted for a second…_

Then something caught her eye. Normally, she took the orb around her neck off when sleeping, but tonight she had been very tired and had simply forgotten about it. But now it was glowing black.

She stared at it, even after the black glow had faded away. _That feeling… it was something I can't bring myself to take lightly. I had best tell the others… in the morning… _

Even though Hope was very concerned, her exhaustion overcame her. She was soon asleep once more.

-----

Larka sat up swiftly.

_What on earth?_

"Malon!" Larka whispered.

The puppy looked over at her, giving an inquiring whine.

"Did you feel something? Like… a jolt of some kind?"

Malon shook his head, and yawned, laying his head back down.

_Whatever that was, he doesn't seem very anxious about it. But still… this worries me. I'll tell the others tomorrow,_ she decided, going back to sleep.__

-----

Rue wasn't sure at first about what had awakened him. He looked around, confused, when he heard something.

_"So it will come into play… very interesting indeed. I wonder what fool is trying to awaken it?"_

"Who's there?!" Rue exclaimed, looking around quickly.

"What's with you, Rue?" Draken asked. He had been awakened by Rue, and wasn't very pleased about it.

"Did you just hear someone?"

"Yeah, I heard someone-you. Now shut up and go back to sleep," Draken replied, taking his own advice.

_But…__ I know I heard someone talking…_ Rue thought frantically. But after several minutes of hearing nothing, he finally managed to fall asleep.

-----

Hope woke up instantly, taking quick, terrified breaths.

_That dream again! Will it ever cease to haunt me?_

___  
_Her eyes darted once more to the orb, and to her surprise it was once again glowing black. Soon it faded though.

_I wish I understood this thing better!_ she thought before getting up and going into the restroom to change her clothes for the first time in a while. When she came back out, she wore a sky blue t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and a blue ponytail holder to match. Most people would be more concerned about the terrifying dream, but Hope was worrying about what they needed to do today to be thinking about it.

Going down the hall, she ran into her sister, who had on a bright red shirt and black jeans.

"Hi sis," Hope greeted.

"Morning. The others are in the living room. Once again, you were the last person to wake up. I was coming to get you just now."

"That's typical," Hope muttered.

They went downstairs, and entered the living room. Hope was surprise by what she saw.

"Mana! You're already feeling well enough to be up? And your armor is mended!"

"Yep!" Mana responded. "I just needed some rest. I'm fine now. And Brandi fixed my armor. Rue also fixed Ruecian's."

"How is Ruecian?" Hope asked.

"I'm going to check on him in a minute," Rue said. He seemed disturbed by something, but didn't say anything else.

"So what are our plans for today?" Draken inquired.

"We go to Teknisk Wereld and try to find more Commanders to slaughter, I guess," Miles shrugged. "We need to find their leader before they get serious."

"Get serious? What do you mean by that?" Claire questioned.

"Well, they must have some kind of plan. So let's off their boss before they pull it off."

"For once, Miles is right," Will stated.

"Once? That's a record for me," Miles joked.

"Indeed. So when Ruecian is ready to go, we leave. Does that sound alright to everyone else?"

"Actually… I wanted to tell you guys about something that happened last night," Larka announced.

"Go on," Brandi encouraged when she had fallen silent.

"I was asleep, but suddenly woke up when I felt a jolt of some kind. It was as if some tremendous evil was making its presence known…" Larka trailed off.

"You too?" Hope said in disbelief. "I felt something too, and it fits that description. When I woke up, the orb was also glowing black."

"Orb? What orb?" Draken asked, looking confused.

"Oh gosh! I haven't even shown many of you it!" She brought forth the orb, which was now glowing white and black.

"What the heck is that thing?" Miles inquired.

"I wish I knew," Hope replied. "I got it a while back… it's a long story. But lately, it has been glowing black or white at certain points. It's as though it senses something."

"We can worry about that later," Max stated. "Right now, we should find that Commander."

"Right," Rue agreed. "I'm going to go see Ruecian. You guys wait here." He then went up the stairs.

-----

Rue knocked on the guest room door before entering-yesterday's incident had taught him to be more careful. Ruecian looked over at him, sitting up.

"Hey, you're awake. Feeling better?"

He nodded.

"That's good. I was pretty worried about you." He handed Ruecian his upper armor. "I mended that yesterday. What a pain it was too. Next time you nearly die, please do it in some way that does not involve getting several large holes in your armor."

Ruecian smiled slightly before putting on the armor. As Rue waited, he spoke of his concerns to his Soul Monster.

"Ruecian, I keep hearing this strange voice that nobody else seems to notice. I'm afraid that I'm going crazy. I've heard it twice; once when we were telling Max about what we had done, and last night. Do you think I'm delusional or something?"

Ruecian shook his head before leaving the room.

"I guess that's the best I'm going to get," Rue sighed before following his companion's lead. "Sometimes having a Soul Monster that refuses to talk can really get on my nerves…"

-----

"We're ready," Rue told them as he and Ruecian entered the living room.

"Glad to see that you're feeling better," Hope said to Ruecian. "Well, let's get moving. Claire, are you staying behind again?"

"Actually, no, I'm not. I want to help you guys on the battle field this time!" she replied.

"The more the merrier," Hope stated before looking over at Amy. "We'll see you later sis."

"Yeah, in about three seconds."

"What?"

"I'm coming too."

Everyone stared at her.

"Quit looking at me like I'm a psycho! Even though I am…" she muttered the last part so the others would hopefully not hear it. "I can duel too, you know. I'm sure there will be some way that I can assist."

"Alright then. Now that that's settled, can we get moving?" Perseus suggested.

They took his advice, and were soon unconscious.

-----

"And this time, we've ended up in the forest," Neo realized as they stood up.

"We never would have guessed," Will responded dryly.

Amy had reached into her pocket, bringing forth a Soul Card. In a flash of light, her Soul Monster appeared. She wore a pale orange robe and a dark red cape. Her long hair was a whitish-gray, which had a flower of some kind in it on her right side.

"Wow. Finally, another female Soul Monster!" Mana exclaimed.

The new arrival laughed at that. "Yeah, you'd think it's a conspiracy or something. I'm Sakura, a Big Bangirl. Nice to meet you all."

"Same to you," Gen replied. "Are you aware of what we are doing?"

"Yes, Amy explained everything."

"Then let's get started," Darche suggested. "Where should we look first?"

"Well, let's see… where have we not been yet..." Rue muttered.

Before he could continue, Malon jumped up, barking shrilly.

"What's up with him?" Miles wondered.

Daine's ears perked up. "Someone's coming, but I recognize his scent. You don't need to worry."

Soon the person emerged from the trees. They instantly realized who it was.

"Matt!" Brandi exclaimed.

"Yep, it's me. How are you guys doing?" Matt asked, coming into the clearing.

"Pretty good, considering what we've been through," Neo joked.

"Yeah. Now that we have the officials off of our backs, all's well," Gaston stated.

"And we have you to thank for it," Hope said. "You've pretty much saved us."

"It wasn't a problem," Matt shrugged.

"Let me guess; you're expecting us to repay you," Miles grumbled.

"No, I don't… yet," Matt smirked.

"So reassuring," Rue muttered.

"Why are you here at the moment?" Larka inquired.

"I was hoping you guys would be here. I wanted to tell Brandi about Abby's condition."

"Is it serious?" Brandi asked.

"The doctors do not think it is life-threatening. But the fact remains that she is ill, and needs attention. So she's going to remain at the hospital for a few days. I'll keep you updated on how she fares," Matt assured.

Brandi nodded. "I see. Thanks for helping."

"Not a problem at all. So, how it Max faring?"

"I'm fine," Max stated, stepping forward.

Matt jumped back. "Whoa! Where did you come from?"

"I've been here the whole time, you moron."

"…Wait a second. You actually recognize me. You've recovered?"

"Obviously."

"I'm glad to hear it. Just don't get blasted again, or whatever the hell happened to you," Matt joked.

"I don't plan on it."

"So update me. What's been happening?"

Before anyone else could say anything, another person came out from the trees into the clearing.

"Chasity! What are you doing here?" Matt exclaimed.

"I came to ask you about how mom is doing." She looked over and glared at Brandi. "And to complain. What was the big idea Brandi? Why did you just suddenly hang up on me like that? I was just following Matt's instructions to tell you how mom was, and just because it was bad news doesn't mean you had to take it out on me!"

"I didn't hang up on you," Brandi said. "Max did. He grabbed the phone from my hands and after listening to you hung up."

Chasity just stared at Max for a few seconds before walking up to him, kicking his shin, and walking off before anyone could react.

Max grabbed his leg, wincing. "Geez, for a little girl she can sure deal out a painful blow."

Matt didn't seem to notice Max's plight. "Dang it. She's gone, and without a Soul Monster or Duel Disk pretty much anything could be a threat to her. We need to find her quickly."

"But this forest is huge!" Miles protested.

"To even have a chance at finding her, we should split up," Zack suggested.

"I agree. Let's separate," Matt decided. "If someone finds her, activate this." He handed everyone a magic card from his pocket.

Larka examined hers. "Jade Whistle?"

"Yeah. Just activate it when you find her. Good luck guys."

Without further conversation, they set off, all in different directions.

-----

Rue pushed aside a tree limb that was in his way. "Nothing here. I hope the others are having better luck than us."

Ruecian did not seem to hear him. His hand went to his sword as he looked around.

"What's the matter?" Rue asked.

Suddenly, a white light blinded him. When his vision returned to normal, he could see what had happened. There was a sturdy, wooden cross, and Ruecian was nailed to it by arms and legs. He was obviously in serious agony, judging by the blood running down the cross and his short, painful breaths as he fought to stay conscious.

Before Rue could react, someone grabbed him, slamming his fist into his stomach. Rue was out cold instantly.

One of the Commanders of Heaven looked over at his leader. "What did you use on that Soul Monster?"

"Witch Hunt," he replied, showing him the magic card. "In the game, it destroys all Magic Users on the field."

"Fitting," another Commander of Heaven said.

The third one, who had knocked out Rue, was detaching the boy's Duel Disk. He threw it aside and brought Ruecian's Soul Card out of Rue's pocket. "Should I tear this?"

"Don't bother. He'll die soon enough of blood loss. The others won't find him in time."

"Why do you say that?" the first man asked.

"Castor and Pollux will be distracting them for a while. We will have more than enough time to get back to the boss."

"Good, but I still dislike taking chances," the third Commander stated. "Let's get there quickly."

-----

Amy treaded carefully through the maze of trees. "Sense anything, Sakura?"

"Not a thing," her Soul Monster sighed. "She could be pretty much anywhere by now."

"Still, we can't give up just yet," Amy stated. "Let's go… this way." She set off to the right, Sakura following.

After a few more minutes of silence, they emerged by the river. Sakura immediately got in front of Amy.

"Be on guard. There is someone else here," she said to answer the unspoken question.

The girl that was walking by the river had also spotted them, and started coming over to them. She looked to be in her teens. She wore a bright yellow t-shirt and black pants, with black shoes. She had dark brown hair, and light brown eyes.

"About time one of you finally found us," the girl told Amy. "We've been waiting for quite some time."

"Who is we?" Amy asked.

"My sister and me, and someone else you should be familiar with," she smirked. "Hey, Castor! Get over here!"

Another girl appeared from the trees. She looked identical to the first one, except for the fact that she had a dark blue shirt. She also was grasping, by the arm…

"Chasity!" Amy exclaimed.

Chasity looked at her, eyes speaking of pleads.

"Oh, so that's her name? We never bothered to ask," the first girl shrugged. "We are well aware that this girl means something to you and your friends, so we thought that maybe she would be of use. If you want to save her, it will require a duel. Call the rest of your friends here, and then we can all discuss the terms."

Amy looked over at Sakura, who nodded. "We have no choice but to do as they ask for the minute."

"Alright then…" Amy brought forth the Jade Whistle card and inserted it into her Duel Disk. A beautiful, pale green whistle appeared in Amy's hand.

"Let's see how this works," Amy muttered, putting it to her mouth.

-----

Will and Neo were making their way to the river when they suddenly heard a loud, shrill whistle.

"Yikes! What is that?!" Neo yelped.

"The Jade Whistle, obviously," Will stated. "It came from the river. At least we're near there... what's the matter now?" he asked when he saw Neo had gone completely still.

Neo indicated to the trees. Will turned around to look, and could only think of three words to say.

"We. Are. Screwed."

-----

Zack pressed a button on his wrist, and sighed. "No signs of life here either. Might as well move on…"

That was when he heard the piercing whistle cut through the silence.

"Good, someone else found her. I wasn't having much success…" He changed directions, heading for where the sound had come from.

As he cleared his way through the trees, he abruptly stopped. He had caught sight of a large, wooden cross.

"What is that thing?" he muttered, advancing on it cautiously, and jumping back quickly when he saw who was attached to it.

"Ruecian! What on earth…" He trailed off, seeing how pale Ruecian was from blood loss. "Damn it. I hope it isn't too late." He grabbed the nail that pierced the Soul Monster's legs with his left hand and, using all of his strength, managed to pull it free. It would have been impossible with about anyone else, but with an armored hand and the extra power his mechanical body had, he was able to get rid of it. He got rid of the other two as well, catching Ruecian as he fell and laying him on the ground. Zack was relieved to see he was still breathing, and brought forth a Red Potion.

"There isn't much I can do for him though…" Zack muttered. "And there's no sign of Rue. It looks like I'll need some assistance."

-----

The Whistle vanished from Amy's hand, its purpose complete. Amy stared at where it had been.

"I wish Matt had warned us about how loud that whistle was going to be!"

"And I wish you had warned me," the first girl complained, rubbing her head. "I'm going to have such a headache from that thing."

Castor remained silent, keeping a tight grip on Chasity. There was an uncomfortable silence for the next few minutes, when it was suddenly broken by a loud crashing coming from the forest.

"What the heck is that?" Amy asked. They turned to see Will and Neo running out of the forest. "Oh, there you guys are. What took you so long?"

"There's no time for that! THE INSECTS ARE COMING!" Will yelled.

"The what?!" Amy shouted.

A huge spider came crashing out of the forest. Amy instantly recognized it as the monster Insect Queen. Following her were several other bugs that she knew about; Emissary-Eating Insect, Man-Eating Bug, Insect Princess, Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth, Great Moth, Leghul, Hercules Beetle, Guillotine Beetle, Killer Bee, and Blood-Sucking Flea, to name a few. They were all enraged and charging after Will and Neo.

Amy quickly brought out a magic card and immediately activated it. A glowing, yellow, net-like barrier that sparked with electricity came up instantly. Will and Neo, not expecting it, were unable to stop in time and crashed right through it. Surprisingly, they were unharmed, and the barrier was not affected. But when the Insect Queen ran into it, she was fried by the electricity. A high-pitched scream came from the monster as it fell, and vanished. The other insects hissed angrily for a few seconds before fleeing back to the forest.

"What did you activate?" Neo inquired as he and Will got up.

"Insect Barrier. I always carry one around. I can't stand bugs."

"I'd feel more grateful to you if I didn't think it was your Jade Whistle that caused them to go crazy," Will told her. "It would be nice if Matt gave us all of the details on these support cards before we used them."

"Can't argue there," Amy shrugged.

"Did you find Chasity?" Will questioned.

"What are we, chopped liver?" the girl asked crossly.

Will looked over at her. "In case you didn't notice, we were nearly crushed to death by a bunch of over-sized, angry insects, so please excuse me for missing some details. With that being said, who are you?"

"I'll introduce myself when all of your friends arrive," she stated.

Will had also caught sight of Chasity. "May I request some information?"

"Sure. Those two are the bad guys, and we're supposed to beat the living daylights out of them, but we can't as long as they have Chasity under their control. That enough details for you?"

"It will do for now," Will nodded. "So where are the others?"

"They should be coming any minute."

As she said that, another high pitched whistle came from the forest.

"Another Jade Whistle! But why would someone else be using it?" Neo asked.

"They might be in trouble," Will stated. "Amy, can you cover the situation here? We'll go to try and help whoever is trying to contact us."

"Sure. Be careful."

"I will, but I don't know about Neo." They ran back into the forest.

-----

Hope stopped abruptly as she heard the whistle. "Another? But which way should we go?"

"The first one sounded closer," Gaston offered.

"Alright then, we'll continue that way." She ran ahead, only to crash into someone and collapse.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Brandi snapped, jumping back up; she had fallen as well.

"Oh, sorry! I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings."

"Obviously. Where are you headed?"

"The place where the first whistle was sounded from."

"Then let's go there together," Matt suggested, walking up. Max was with him. "Hopefully, the others will try to assist the second one."

"Yeah," Brandi agreed.

Matt led the way, and the others followed him.

-----

Larka gingerly took her hands away from her ears. "Those things are way too loud! The first time was bad enough, but a second time too?"

Malon whined and Daine shook his head, as though trying to clear the sound from his mind. "Which way should we go?"

"The second one sounded closer. Let's head that way!"

-----

"Jade Whistles?" Sarius muttered. "Who the heck… oh well. We don't have any time to waste. Until later, we'll just ignore them."

The Child nodded solemnly, and they continued walking to the lake.

-----

"What was that?" one of the Commanders asked.

"Possibly those other brats' way of communicating," the leader suggested.

"Should we investigate?" the third one proposed.

"It isn't part of our mission. If you're so worried, then stay behind to look into it," the leader shrugged.

"Alright, I will. You two continue on." Without further conversation, he left.

-----

The four teens finally left the forest, emerging into the clearing with the river. Hope caught sight of her half-sister right away.

"Amy! What is going on?"

Before she could answer, Matt exclaimed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

That caught the other's attention. They looked over at Castor and saw who she was restraining.

"Chasity!" Brandi cried. Mana was too shocked to say anything, while Olympion growled at their opponents.

Max didn't need any hints to tell him who was the enemy. "Let her go."

"All in good time," the other girl smirked. "This isn't quite as many people as I had hoped for, but it will do. I am Pollux, and that is my twin sister, Castor."

"Get to the point," Max snarled.

"As you wish. We were ordered to kill all of you via duels, but we had no way of forcing any of you to duel… until now. This girl just happened to cross paths with us, and we couldn't let such an opportunity go to waste, now could we? If you want the girl back, then you will have to duel us."

One look at Chasity's terrified expression was enough to convince Max. "I'll duel. Which one of you am I facing?"

"I said us for a reason. This will be a tag team duel."

"I see." Max fell silent for a minute, and then inquired, "Will each player have their own field?"

"Yes."

_Excellent.__ That means it will work… but who to choose as a tag team partner? Amy and Brandi are out of the question, they use too many different Sub-Types. Matt uses Demons too, and if they had some kind of counter for my cards, they would work against him as well. That only leaves me with one choice…_

"Hope. Will you be my partner?"

Hope started. "What? Me? But why?"

"I have my reasons."

"Well… if you want me to, then I have no choice but to accept!"

"Then let's get this show on the road!" Pollux stated. "As for my Soul Monster…" She took out a Soul Card, and her monster instantly emerged. It looked like a huge flower, but there was nothing pretty about it. It had large, red petals with small white spots all over them. The center of it was red with white spots too, but it was also a mouth. It had purple lips and white, knife-sharp teeth. It also had two green tentacles that looked as though they were woven out of grass.

"Ugh! What is that thing?!" Amy asked, disgusted.

"Lotus, a Mirage Flower. Isn't she lovely?" Pollux said.

"I'm sure," Matt replied sarcastically. "What about you, Castor?"

In response, she brought out her own Soul Card. A light-purple dragonish creature came forth. It had two deep purple bat-like wings. The lower part of its body was covered with yellow scales. It had two thin legs with white claws, but it had no arms. What was really remarkable about it though was that it had two heads. Both heads had two white horns, along with two tusk-like fangs. The head on its left had red eyes and a red mouth, while the one on its right had blue eyes and a blue mouth.

"Dol Dora. Call him Duo," Castor told them.

"It's hard to believe," Mana muttered.

"What is?" Brandi questioned.

"We've found someone who speaks less than Fell does."

Pollux ignored them. "So you will be facing us with an Elven Swordsman and Genocide Demon King. Do you know how to compete in a tag team duel?"

"I've played in one before," Hope answered.

"I am aware of how it works," Max nodded. "Shall we begin?"

-----

Zack looked up as Fell and Larka entered the clearing. "Thanks for coming."

"What's the problem? Did you find Chasity?" Larka inquired.

"No, but I did find this." He indicated to Ruecian.

"What happened to him?!" Larka exclaimed as she kneeled to examine him.

"He was trapped on that," Zack explained, nodding to the cross. "I have no idea who did it, but whoever it was probably has something to do with Rue not being here."

"Rue's gone?" Larka asked.

"Yes."

Malon suddenly barked, drawing their attention to him. He was sniffing two objects on the ground.

"Rue's Duel Disk!" Larka realized, picking it up. "And Ruecian's Soul Card. Do you think he knows something about what happened to Rue?"

"Perhaps," Daine agreed. "What should we do?"

"I'll stay here with Zack and look after Ruecian. Fell, Daine, how about you two go and try to find Rue? Fell, don't give me a hard time about it! We have to work quickly, or else the attacker-or attackers-will get away!"

Without a word, Fell ran off, Daine following. Larka got out another Red Potion and used it to heal the wounds further. "I wish I had more of these, but that's all I have at the moment. But what about the amount of blood he has lost?"

"I used Compensation of Blood," Zack assured. He sat down, leaning against a tree. "Now all we can do is wait."

Larka also took a seat at the base of a nearby tree, and looked over at Zack. "May I ask you something?"

"If you want to."

"What are you going to do after we defeat the Commanders of Heaven? You seemed highly upset with about what happened with Heather. You mask it well at the moment, but I can tell that you are still very hurt over the whole thing."

"…That's true. I may be a cyborg, but it doesn't mean that all traces of my feelings as a human have vanished. I wanted to delete my memories, but it is no use-they are too deep inside of me to get rid of without serious injury. And, as you know, I am not allowed to injure myself on purpose."

"So what will you do?"

"I can only think of one thing," Zack sighed. "To shut myself down completely, until I am wakened by someone else. That way, I will have no emotions to concern myself over. Perhaps I can find an area where I will never be awakened again."

"You would just put yourself into a state like death?" Larka asked, shocked.

"Why not? It is the only way out of this reality that I can see."

"But you can't just give up that easily!" she protested.

"I see no reason to change my decision."

"What about your family? They care for you, even in heaven! How do you think they would feel if you put yourself to rest permanently?! Then they'd never be able to see you!"

Zack froze.

Seeing that she was getting somewhere, Larka continued talking. "They would want you to live on, and enjoy the rest of your life. And if you put yourself to sleep, then they would spend all eternity waiting for you for nothing! And not only that, but if they love you, then they would want what is best for you. As for Andrew, he was only doing what was ordered of him. I bet he regrets the fight you two had, but not only because he died. Because you killed yourself for him. He too wouldn't want you to be gone. Heather would also realize what the truth was when she sees Andrew again. Actually, I doubt she believed that you had killed her husband. She just wanted to place the blame on someone so that she had a goal to focus on, to lessen the pain in her heart. Now that she is dead, maybe she can finally find happiness. But they will feel even more guilty if you try to embrace darkness forever, blaming yourself the whole time. So live, for them at least."

Zack was silent for several minutes. Larka didn't say anything, letting him consider what she had said. Finally, he replied. "I will reconsider. I might still shut myself down, but your words have made me want to rethink the situation. I am surprised by how vivid you can speak."

Larka blushed slightly. "I had to learn. It was the only thing that kept me and my brother from giving in to despair when we were specimen."

"…I see." Zack could think of nothing else to say, and Larka did not mind the tranquil moment.

-----

Hope: 8000

Max: 8000

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

"In what order should we go?" Hope asked.

"I'll start, then you, then Castor, and your partner last," Pollux stated. "Is that alright?"

"Fine," Max growled.

"The ones that drop out of the tag team match will die. If both of you die, this girl will die as well. If at least one of you wins, then she will be unharmed. There will also be a Life Point penalty, but you'll see what it is soon enough."

Max glared at her. "Just get on with it."

"It's your funeral. I will start by laying one monster in defense mode, and two other cards face down. Your turn!"

"Alright… one card down, and a monster in defense mode. That's all for me."

Castor examined the card she had drawn. "I play Foolish Burial."

"What does that do?" Hope inquired.

"A monster in my deck is sent to the Cemetery." She inserted one card into the Cemetery and shuffled her deck. "One monster in defense, one other card. That is all."

Max swore as he saw what he drew. "It isn't a Demon… I can't use Olympion's effect."

"Tough luck for you," Pollux sneered.

"Will you just shut up? I summon Giant Orc, (2200/0) and lay one card down. I'm done."

Pollux smirked as she looked over her hand. "This'll be fun. I'm first going to activate Lotus' effect. Once per duel, I can take control of an opponent's face up monster. So I'll just borrow your Giant Orc. Then I'll sacrifice him and my face down Quick Squirrel for Wind Guardian: Hyuga! (2400/2200) I'll also activate Cyclone on your face down card."

"Damn it… my Torture Wheel…" Max muttered.

"Now Hyuga attacks you directly!"

Max braced himself as the Hyuga began to absorb energy for a wind spell, when black chains suddenly sprang out of thin air and wrapped around it.

"What's going on?" Pollux demanded.

"You forgot about my face down card!" Hope told her. "Curse of Darkness is a trap card that stops your monster from attacking. It also lowers its attack by 700! (1700/2200) As an extra bonus, you can't switch the mode of your monster."

Pollux glared at her. "I was going to take out that other guy first, but you look like a much better target. Take your turn."

"Alright… your Hyuga should be easy enough to kill…" Hope murmured, grasping a card.

"Hold on. Don't play anything yet," Max ordered. "Something suspicious occurred to me. Most monsters with 2400 attack are only one sacrifice. This monster probably has an effect that we don't know about just yet."

"You're smarter than I thought," Pollux commented. "Once per duel, Hyuga can reduce a monster's attack power to 0 if it is attacking him."

"That could be a big problem," Hope admitted. "But at least it can't attack us at the moment. I summon Legacy Hunter! (1000/1500) He attacks Castor's face down monster!"

"That was my Demon's Familiar, (500/500)" Castor said. "All of us get to choose one monster from our Cemetery and place it on the field due to his Reverse effect. I choose Electric Guardian: Sanga. (2600/2200)"

Hope grimaced. "Just what we needed. I have no monsters in my Cemetery though."

"I'll place my Quick Squirrel in defense," Pollux stated.

"My Giant Orc will come in attack mode," Max announced.

"Also, my Legacy Hunter's effect is activated," Hope told Castor. "Since he destroyed one of your face down defense monsters in battle, you have to send a random card in your hand to your deck. I choose your middle card!"

"My Raise Dead," she said calmly as she shuffled it back into her deck.

"I'll end my turn."

Castor gave a small smile as she looked at her hand. "Pollux?"

"Alright, I understand," Pollux grinned. "I activate Metal Reflect Slime! This trap becomes a monster when activated, and goes to defense mode. (0/3000)"

"How will that help?" Hope asked.

"I will sacrifice both my sister's Metal Reflect Slime and Quick Squirrel to summon Water Guardian: Suga. (2500/2400)"

"This doesn't look good," Gaston commented.

"Now, I will sacrifice Sanga, Suga, and Hyuga to special summon Gate Guardian! (3750/3400)"

They all stared at the monster in awe. Only Max could think of some suitable words to say for the situation.

"Well, this sucks."

-----

Larka and Zack looked up as Will crashed through the undergrowth.

"Will! What kept you?" Larka asked, relieved.

"Neo being slow. I also ran into Draken," he said as the teen followed him out of the trees.

"So what's going on here?" Draken inquired.

"I'd like to know too," Miles told them.

Draken jumped back. "Whoa! Where did you come from?"

"The nuthouse," Miles said. "But really, I just followed you guys, since you seemed to know where you were going."

"Where are the others?" Larka questioned. "Hope, Max, Matt, Brandi, Claire and Amy aren't here."

"I'm right here," Claire interrupted, emerging. "But Rue and Fell aren't here either. What about them?"

Perseus was distracted by Ruecian. "What happened to him?"

"I wish I knew," Larka sighed. "Zack found Ruecian here, nailed to that cross, with Rue gone. He called for assistance, so Fell and I came here. Fell went to try and find Rue after we found his Duel Disk and Ruecian's Soul Card." Larka handed the objects to Claire. "Ruecian will be ok, but it will take some time before he wakes up. All we can do is hope that the others are ok, and that Fell can find Rue."

"Oh…" Claire looked at the items sadly.

To try and take her mind off of the situation, Larka brought up another topic. "It's possible that the others found Chasity. After Fell comes back here, we should go check on them."

"Good point," Will agreed. "Ok, when he gets here, we'll set off."

-----

The Commander was finding his way through the forest rather easily. His goal was to get back to the Soul Monster and kill him. If left alone, he might tell them of where his companions were going. He shook his head, mentally berating himself. He knew that he should have slain the Soul Monster when he had the chance, and now it had to come to this.

He froze suddenly, thinking he had heard something. When he saw nothing, he started forward again, only to stop instantly.

The teen that was in front of him was one he recognized from the reports and pictures he had seen from his leader. What was his name? Fell, yes, he remembered now. He also recalled the unnatural powers this boy had.

The Commander didn't know what to feel, besides the fact that he had no concerns with the other Commanders anymore.

"If you're looking for the boy, it's far too late. He's already gone," the Commander told him.

Fell just gazed at him for a few more seconds before turning and leaving. He did not bother to look behind, not even when the Commander's scream echoed through the trees.

Daine ran up to accompany his master, his teeth now stained red.

-----

"Hey, Castor, leave the girl to me!" Pollux ordered. "You take out that other guy."

"Gate Guardian, attack Giant Orc," Castor commanded.

The explosion blinded them for a minute, but soon the field was in view again. Except the Giant Orc was now gone.

Hope: 8000

Max: 6450

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

Max suddenly kneeled over, coughing violently.

"Max! What's wrong?" Brandi exclaimed.

"I'm… fine…" he managed to say, before abruptly throwing up a bunch of red liquid. Hope winced when she recognized that it was blood.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Matt snarled as the rest stared, shocked.

"That's this duel's Life Point penalty," Pollux explained. "Whenever someone is injured, you lose a certain amount of blood. By the end of the duel, you'll have lost enough blood for it to be fatal."

Brandi forced herself to look away from her brother, and over at Castor. What she saw stunned her.

Chasity was slowly becoming encased by ice. It had wound itself around her feet, anchoring her to the ground.

"What are you doing to her?!" Brandi shouted. This caused everyone to look over to Chasity.

"Oh, I meant to mention that. Must have slipped my mind," Pollux shrugged. "Whenever you take damage, your friend here will start to become encased in ice. If you lose, then we'll have a pretty ice statue to decorate the riverside."

"Leave her alone! She has nothing to do with this!" Max demanded.

"I think you mistook me as the person who gives a damn," Pollux sneered. "Get on with it, or are you too weak from that small amount of blood loss to continue playing?"

"If you're trying to provoke me, you're succeeding so far," Max growled, rising. "I'll make you suffer… I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"Sorry, but I can't bring myself to take your threat seriously. I'm going to play Angel's Gift, drawing three cards and discarding two. I think I'll rid myself of Kaiser Seahorse and Electric Guardian: Sanga. Then I play Raise Dead on Sanga. (2600/2200) Sanga, attack the Legacy Hunter!"

Hope: 6400

Max: 6450

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

Hope kneeled down, blood flowing as she spat it out of her mouth. Amy closed her eyes, wishing that she could help somehow. Gaston whispered a few words to Hope, and in response she nodded and got up.

Although the ice was growing around her, Chasity didn't cry out. She wasn't sure whether this was because she was too frightened to do anything, or because she was growing too numb to think from the ice.

Hope brightened when she saw what her next card was. "This will work! I summon Initiate Troops. (1000/1000) Then I activate their effect! By sacrificing them, your Gate Guardian is destroyed. Then I flip summon Goblin Strike Team. (2300/0) Attack Castor directly!"

Pollux smirked. "You do know that I could simply have my Sanga block them?"

Hope paled. "I forgot about that!"

"Don't worry, your brutes will be spared for a turn," Pollux laughed.

Castor flipped over her trap card. "I activate Magic Cylinder."

Hope: 4100

Max: 6450

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

This time, Hope was forced to cough up much more blood than previously. She felt somewhat lightheaded as she rose again, and tried her best to concentrate. "I'm… done…"

"I play Jar of Greed, and then Theft, which allows me to gain control of your Goblins. Then I activate Duo's effect, allowing me to bring forth a monster from my Cemetery with 500 attack and defense less than previously. I'll bring out Demon's Familiar, (0/0) and sacrifice both monsters for Water Guardian: Suga. (2500/2400) Suga attacks you directly."

As the water shot out from Suga's mouth, something jumped in front of Hope. She realized it was a Twilight Zone Trainer (100/2000) right before it was destroyed.

"As if I would let you kill my partner that easily," Max said.

Castor looked unconcerned. "It is your turn."

"I'll take it gladly. And I'll start off by playing Black Hole, which wipes out everything on the field!"

"Not so fast," Pollux chastised. "I activate Magic Jammer. By discarding Higeasokou from my hand, your magic card is negated and destroyed."

"Argh… I lay one monster in defense mode, and one other card down. It's your turn."

Pollux grinned at her next card. "Well, this is quite helpful. I play Raise Dead, bringing forth Gate Guardian! (3750/3400)"

"I activate Ambush!" Max announced. "This lets me special summon Demon Soldier from my hand! (1900/1500)"

"Gr… Sanga, Gate Guardian, direct attack!"

"I block both!" Max declared. His Gil Gars (1800/1200) was slaughtered by the Gate Guardian, while his Demon Soldier electrocuted to death by Sanga.

Hope: 4100

Max: 5750

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

Hope watched in horror as Max started coughing up blood again. _Why is he doing this? He's risking his own life to keep their monsters from killing me…_

"Make your move," Pollux volunteered. "Unless you'd rather wait for your friend over there to quit being sick."

Ignoring the jest, Hope looked at her hand. _This just might work… at least, it will to keep them from hurting me. But Max… this won't be able to help him. I can only hope that he will be able to fend for himself._

"I activate Calling Reinforcements, to get a level four or lower Warrior from my deck. I choose, and summon, Troop Commander! (1200/400) His effect allows me to special summon a level four or lower monster when he is successfully summoned. So I special summon another Troop Commander!"

"Remind me of what good that will do you?" Pollux sneered.

"As long as I have another Warrior on the field, Troop Commander cannot be attacked. That means that you can't score any damage on me!"

"A small set back," Pollux shrugged. "We'll just kill that guy first. Anything else you are going to do?"

"I end my turn…"

"Strange, isn't it? Hope is the only player that has cards in her hand," Matt commented.

"It's all up to luck now…" Amy said.

Brandi could not bring herself to speak from fear for her family.

"I lay one monster in defense mode. Then I attack directly with Suga," Castor decided.

Hope: 4100

Max: 3250

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

Max spent much time throwing up all of the blood he was losing. He forced himself to his feet, and saw that Chasity was now frozen to her waist.

With a growl of rage, Max drew and cautiously looked at his card. "I play my own Jar of Greed… whew, saved. I lay one monster in defense mode, and one card down. That's it."

"I lay one monster, and attack you with Gate Guardian!"

"You've fallen for my trap!" Max said triumphantly. "I activate Division of Ranks!"

"What does that do?"

"We each declare a Sub-Type. Any monster on our field that isn't of that Sub-Type is destroyed."

Pollux swore. "But… we use so many different Sub-Types!"

"That was the point."

"Damn it! I choose Warrior!" The Sanga on her field faded away.

"Water," Castor chose.

"Of course I'll choose Warriors," Hope stated.

"And I pick Demons," Max smirked.

_So that's why he wanted me to be his partner!_ Hope realized. _Since I only use Warriors, his Division of Ranks was no hinder to me!_

"Gate Guardian, obliterate his monster!" Pollux snarled. Max's Cursed Gyura (1500/800) didn't stand a chance.

Hope looked at her card. "This might be one of our only chances to get rid of Gate Guardian… I'll do it."

"What are you talking about?" Gaston asked her.

"I summon Twilight Zone Female Warrior! (1500/1600) Attack Gate Guardian!"

"What? That's suicide!" Pollux exclaimed.

"I also activate her effect! When she battles another monster, I can choose to remove both monsters from play!"

"Call off the attack!" Gaston pleaded.

"No way. This is one of our only chances of getting rid of that ugly excuse for a warrior!"

Hope: 1850

Max: 3250

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

Hope couldn't do anything to contain the blood that spilled from her lips. Gaston knelt down to her, and she managed to say, "I-I'm… done…"

Castor looked over inquiringly, and Gaston nodded. She drew, and sighed. "Suga attacks directly. I lay one card down, and end my turn."

Hope: 1850

Max: 750

Castor: 8000

Pollux: 8000

-----

Malon yipped excitedly. They soon saw why, as Fell and Daine entered the clearing.

"Did you find anything?" Larka asked.

Miles looked at Daine's fangs. "I'd say they found something, judging by the color his teeth are."

Daine licked his chops. "We found a Commander of Heaven. He said that they had taken Rue away already. I doubt we have much chance in finding him. I killed him so that we wouldn't have to worry about him later.

Claire looked at the Duel Disk she held. Why did it suddenly seem blurry?

"We can't give up that easily," Larka protested. "Maybe Ruecian will know something when he wakes up."

Perseus kneeled. "We can ask later, but what about the others? We should get to them. I can carry Ruecian until he wakes up."

With no better ideas, they took Perseus' advice. Neo and Darche managed to get Ruecian onto his back, and then they set off.

-----

Brandi shuddered as she saw Max fall to the ground, weakly coughing. Tears threatened to escape her eyes. Matt, seeing the state she was in, simply wrapped his arm around her shoulders. It was a small gesture, but it calmed her immensely.

Max staggered upright. Now he knew something was definitely wrong. His mind felt fuzzy, and he was finding it difficult to keep focused. He looked over at Chasity, and saw that her arms were frozen. This should have made him worry, but he couldn't bring himself to care…

Then he felt something. A clear thought, one that spoke of death… it was terrible somehow, Max knew that. He shouldn't trust it. But it was something solid, and he grasped onto it with all his might.

Hope looked over at Max, and started with shock. Something was surrounding him… a blood-red aura… was she just imagining it from blood loss? No, it couldn't be… it was too evil to be from her mind…

"One monster in defense mode. That's it."

Max's voice, once disoriented with pain, seemed firmer somewhat. Or was she wrong?

"Curse that Division or Ranks!" Pollux growled. "I pass."

_I need to stop that Suga somehow! _Hope thought desperately. She looked at her card. _This might work… I hope Max has a plan though._ "I play Cyclone on your magic or trap, Castor!"

"It is Emissary of Harmony. I chain it."

"It doesn't matter; I wasn't going to attack. I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"…Suga, attack his defense monster."

"I block it!" Hope declared. "With my Retrained Elven Swordsman! (1400/1200) This monster cannot be destroyed in battle with monsters that have 1900 attack or more."

"I end my turn."

"I play… one card down. And end."

Olympion's eyes narrowed. Hope saw the black aura around Max slowly start to flow towards Olympion. The others didn't seem to notice it.

Pollux let forth several colorful words. "For crying out loud! I pass again…"

Hope shrugged. "I might as well try this. Troop Commander, attack Castor's defense monster!"

A small hamster appeared on the field, and squeaked in terror before being sliced in half.

"A hamster." Mana shook her head in disbelief. "A hamster? Why in the name of all that's holy did they make a hamster card?"

"My Death Hamster (900/600) allows me to get another, due to its Reverse effect, and play it in defense mode."

"Death Hamster. That has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, aside from Killer Tomato," Mana commented.

"My second Troop Commander destroys the new one."

"I get a third."

"I'll end my turn."

"Suga attacks your defense monster," she said, indicating to Max.

Max smiled coldly. "I activate Magic Cylinder. Isn't it nice to have your own cards turn against you?"

Hope: 1850

Max: 750

Castor: 5500

Pollux: 8000

Castor collapsed, vomiting blood. Max did not seem to notice.

"I flip over X-E-N-O, and take control of your Suga due to his Reverse Effect. Due to Division of Ranks, Suga is immediately destroyed. Then I sacrifice X-E-N-O for Demon King of the Underworld: Hades. (2450/1600) Hades will attack your defense monster, Pollux."

"My Giant Virus is gone. But his effect causes you to lose 500 Life Points, and let me special summon up to two more."

"Hate to disappoint you, but while Hades is on the field, my Demon Sub-Types negate the effects of monsters that they destroy."

"…That sucks," Pollux groaned. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I switch Retrained Elven Swordsman to attack! Troop Commander attacks Death Hamster. Then my Retrained Elven Swordsman attacks Castor directly!"

"I'll intercept him with another Giant Virus!" Pollux cried. "But I won't special summon any more."

Hope went to the ground. "Troop Commander… attacks directly… to Castor…" Then she began violently coughing up more blood. Castor was soon doing the same.

Hope: 1350

Max: 750

Castor: 4300

Pollux: 8000

Hope finally managed to rise, leaning on Gaston's arm for support. "I lay one card down, and end my turn…"

"…I pass."

"What?!" Pollux exclaimed. "No, you can't just end without playing something!"

"I have nothing…"

"Not even a life," Max sneered. "For I am about to end yours. I remove Gil Gars, Demon Soldier, and Giant Orc for Dark Necrophia! (2200/2800) Both of you, slaughter her! Do not relent! Leave nothing remaining! Kill her, and end her pitiful existence forever!"

Hope: 1350

Max: 750

Castor: 0

Pollux: 8000

Everyone stared at Max for a minute, shocked at what he had said, before turning to Castor. The girl was on the ground, weakly coughing, barely able to even do that. Pollux had rushed over to her, and was talking to her. Although the others could not hear what she said, they saw the tears that ran down her face.

Castor responded faintly, before closing her eyes and becoming still. Duo gave a sorrowful roar before fading away.

Pollux buried her face into her arms, sobbing. Max didn't look like he cared though. He had a strange smile on his face… as though he had enjoyed doing that.

Olympion gave a low growl, and the aura began to flow towards him faster… when it suddenly broke away completely. Olympion stepped back, looking surprised. The others gave him a puzzled look, not understanding why he seemed shocked.

_That aura is causing Max to change,_ Hope realized. _But why can't Olympion stop it? Is it too strong?_

She forced herself to let go of Gaston, who was too preoccupied by Max and Olympion to notice. She then walked weakly over to Max.

"Max… why? Why did you want her to die so badly?"

"She was nothing," Max growled. "Pathetic humans… they are too weak, unworthy of living. I shall be their executioner!"

"But Max, you risked your own life to help me out, and your younger sister. You care about several of us. Sure, there are bad people out there, but there are also good ones, as you well know! Max, I know you care about your family, and friends, and that you don't take pleasure in killing things! You only slay when necessary, that I'm well aware of! So please, remember that!"

Max gazed at her before shaking his head fiercely. "What the hell just happened?"

"Max?" Hope asked.

He caught a glimpse of Castor's corpse. "She's dead? But how… what happened? I can't remember anything…"

"But you were the one who killed her!" Pollux shouted, rising. She did not bother to try and hide her tears. "You slew her, and enjoyed doing it! I'll take the same delight killing you, you bastard!"

Max just stared at her blankly.

Pollux looked at her card, and started crying again, out of sorrow and frustration. "I summon Quick Squirrel! (1000/100)"

The squirrel faded away as quickly as it had appeared.

"And end my turn!"

_The poor girl doesn't care if she lives or dies,_ Hope thought. _She may have been trying to kill us, but I can't help but feel a little sorry for her… the least I can do is put her out of her misery, I suppose._

"I summon Surprising Matasa. (1300/800) Then I equip him The Fused Weapon, Murasame Blade. This raises his attack by 800. (2100/800) Matasa also has the ability to attack twice. So Matasa attacks two times, then both my Troop Commanders attack, and Retrained Elven Swordsman finishes you."

Hope: 1350

Max: 750

Castor: 0

Pollux: 0

Tears and blood mixed as Pollux fell to the ground. Lotus vanished when she finally ceased moving.

The ice trapping Chasity melted away as well. But the young girl was too horrified to do anything but remain where she was, shaking from terror from what she had seen.

Brandi forced herself to cross the stained ground so that she could reach Chasity. She lifted her, whispering, "It'll be alright… it'll be alright…" but she wasn't sure whether she was trying to convince her younger sister or herself-probably both.

Matt brought out two cards, handing one each to Hope and Max. "Use these. It'll help with the blood loss."

Hope marveled at how he could keep himself calm after witnessing such a gruesome scene before activating the card. Instantly, she felt her mind begin to clear.

"It's called Compensation of Blood," Matt explained.

"Thanks…" Hope looked over at the two bodies. "Can we bury them somewhere?"

"Sure. But let's do it elsewhere, a place where this blood will not violate their resting place." Matt walked over to where Brandi and Chasity were. "Chasity, you should leave now. I'll be back soon. Don't leave the house, and don't come back here."

She nodded. "I-I'm… sorry…"

"There's nothing to apologize for," Brandi said. "Just go back home for now, ok?"

"Alright…" she agreed before vanishing.

"Poor girl. She will be scarred from this for a long time, if not forever," Gaston stated.

"Yeah…" Hope said.

"Let's worry about that later," Matt advised. "We need to bury these two, right now. Then we should try and find the others. I hope they are alright…"

"Will went to help," Amy reassured. "We ran into each other before he left… oh, and speaking of which, I wish you had warned us about those Jade Whistles Matt! Will was nearly killed by stampeding insects."

"Whoops. Guess I kinda forgot to mention that," Matt admitted sheepishly. "Certain details tend to slip my mind."

"I can see that," Amy said dryly.

Gaston lifted Pollux, and Mana got Castor. Then they left the bloody riverside to find a place to bury them.

-----

"You're sure we are going the right way?" Draken inquired as the group followed Daine and Malon.

"Yes. They were by the river a while ago."

Malon barked in agreement.

"But something does not seem right," Daine continued as they went on. "I can smell much blood…"

"That doesn't sound good," Larka commented. "We'd better hurry!"

They finally emerged by the river, and could do nothing but stare.

An area nearby the river was totally covered with blood. It was like staring at a spot where several people had been massacred, and then chopped apart to coat the ground with red.

"Daine? Whose blood is it?" Larka asked tensely.

Malon howled mournfully. Daine shook his head. "I do not recognize two of the blood scents. But there are two more scents, and those are of Hope and Max."

Draken paled slightly. "You mean… that they are…"

"It seems that way," Will said grimly.

Larka covered her face, and Claire closed her eyes to mask the sorrow in them. The rest could not take their eyes from the spot.

"Poor Hope," Miles sighed. "She was a great person until the very end."

"What about Max?" Draken asked.

"He was a jackass, so I don't care as much," Miles shrugged.

"Thanks," said Max sarcastically. "I'll remember that for future references."

Miles jumped backwards with a yelp of shock as Hope, Amy, Max, Matt, and Brandi came out of the forest, looking weary but very much alive.

"Oh, joy. I've finally gone insane," Draken sighed. "Now I'll start saying completely random and idiotic things, like Miles."

"What? Did I miss something?" Brandi asked.

"We thought…" Larka pointed over to the bloody grounds.

"Ah, that. We're fine," Hope assured. "It was just a Life Point penalty. Every time we lost Life Points, we lost some blood. But we're ok now."

"SOME?! More like all of the blood inside of you!" Neo exclaimed.

"Let me guess: you're going to kill me," Miles said to Max.

"Nah, not yet. I'm going to get you when you least expect it," Max smirked.

"That really makes me feel better. No, really," Miles muttered.

They left the riverside, and went to another nearby clearing. Once everyone was settled down, Draken turned to the five who had found Chasity.

"So, who is going to tell the rest of us about what happened?"

About three seconds passed, and then Amy, Max, Matt, and Brandi yelled, "Not it!"

"Alright then, you explain," Will said to Hope.

"Wait… what just happened?" Hope asked, confused. Getting uncomfortable under everyone's gaze, she sighed. "Oh alright, I'll explain…"

When Hope concluded the tale, Will was looking over at Max. "And you have no idea on what happened?"

"None," Max confirmed.

"What about all of you?" Hope inquired.

"I'll tell you about it," Larka volunteered.

Rue's disappearance disturbed the others. "So we have no idea on where he is?" Hope asked.

"Pretty much," Draken nodded. "We have no leads, unless Ruecian knows something we don't. We can only hope that he does."

To be continued…


	28. Gateway

This arc is drawing to a close… hooray!

John: That is beside the point. The point is that trap card ROCKS when you have one Sub-Type decks. And yes, I'm happy.

Demon Fan: Maybe you do, maybe you don't. And I already have an insect deck in mind, but thanks anyway.

**Chapter 28: Gateway**

The next hour or so was spent talking over where they could search for Rue, but nobody was able to come up with a good suggestion. Their only option, they all agreed, was to wait for Ruecian to come around. That didn't make the situation any better.

"I can't stand this!" Miles exclaimed, slamming his fist into a tree trunk. "OUCH!" He rubbed his hand gingerly.

"Just for future reference, hitting something solid with all your might usually hurts," Will informed him.

"Gee, I never would have guessed… ow…" Miles sighed, sitting back down. "But seriously, isn't there anything we can do besides sit around?"

"If you have any bright ideas, we'd love to hear them," Draken replied.

Miles was about to retort, but Gaston interrupted their conversation. "I think he's waking up!"

They all fell silent as Claire went over to him. "Ruecian? Are you ok?"

Ruecian forced himself to sit up, nodding slightly.

"Do you remember what happened? Zack found you, Rue's deck and Duel Disk, and your Soul Card. But Rue wasn't there. Do you have any idea where he is?"

Ruecian slowly shook his head.

"Then we're out of leads," Gen stated.

"So we're just going to give up and go home?" Draken snarled.

"I never said that," Gen responded. "I'm just saying that it could take a while to even find out where he is."

Malon suddenly leapt up, barking fiercely.

"Malon? What is it?" Larka asked.

Daine stared at the trees. "Someone is coming. But it is alright. I recognize them."

"Who…?" Brandi began to ask, but was cut off when the two people in question emerged, their Soul Monsters following them.

"Sarius!" Hope exclaimed.

"Yep," Sarius nodded. "It's funny that we keep running into each other at the most appropriate of times."

"What do you mean?" Mana inquired.

"The Commanders of Heaven… I assume you know of them?" Sarius questioned.

"Of course," Darche confirmed. "What about them?"

"They are ready to make their move," Sarius explained. "I am not sure what they are exactly planning, but whatever it is, they are about to put it into play, and that can't be good."

"Maybe it has something to do with Rue?" Neo suggested.

"Rue? What about him?" Sarius gazed at the surroundings. "Where is he, anyway?"

"We think the Commanders of Heaven took him," Will told him. "But whether he is dead or alive, we do not know."

Sarius shook his head. "I don't see why… wait. Oh damn it. If they are doing what I think they are… then this is really bad."

"What is it?" Perseus queried.

"Rue… is probably still alive. But he won't be for much longer. They will kill him in due time… we have to save him before they can do that," Sarius said.

"But they could be anywhere by now," Matt pointed out.

"I have a good idea of where they are," Sarius replied. "In the lake."

"The lake? You mean we have to go back to that creepy evil area AGAIN?! Once was enough!" Neo protested.

"You won't be going there," Sarius assured him. "That lake is the portal to more than that one area. You unlocked the General of Hell's area by using their orb of fire as a key. So what would you use to find the Commanders of Heaven?"

"One of the golden crosses they wear?" Will guessed.

"That's right. That should unlock the lake for you."

"But we don't have any of those crosses," Max pointed out.

"We'll probably run into a Commander sooner or later, hopefully sooner," Amy shrugged. "So, shall we make our way towards the lake?"

Before anyone could answer, Malon began savagely barking again.

"What now?" Miles moaned.

Daine snarled. "The enemy! We are being surrounded!"

"Then let's get out of here!" Amy said.

"Easier said than done," Gen pointed out. "How will we get out of here without being stopped by the Commanders?"

"I have an idea," Amy announced. "How about some of us stay here to distract them while the rest of you go to rescue Rue? Sakura and I can stay, but we'll need some help."

"I can definitely be of assistance," Matt volunteered.

"Allow me to help as well," Sarius said. "The rest of you should leave now."

"Hold on, I have just the thing," Matt stated. He pulled out a trap card and inserted it into his Duel Disk. "This should provide enough cover for you all to get away."

Violent winds began blowing through the trees, accompanied with snow…

"A blizzard!" Perseus realized.

"It's called Snowstorm," Matt explained. "Now get moving! We'll hold them off."

"Ugh… I hate the cold…" Hope complained, but followed the others as they left the clearing.

"I'm going to play my part by going over there," Matt told the others, nodding towards a high, leafy tree. "What about you guys?"

"I'm one for close combat," Sarius stated, bringing forth a card.

"I'll be down here too. Will you get rid of the Snowstorm when you're done getting into position? It's just as harmful to us as them," Amy told him.

"Sure." Matt climbed swiftly up the tree, hiding behind the leaves on a branch. He took out the Snowstorm card, causing the blizzard to die down, and then inserted a monster card called Commander. "Heh… this'll be fun…"

Amy was also preparing by inserting several cards into her Duel Disk. Sakura held out her right hand, and a wooden staff appeared from midair. She grasped it, and it began to glow a slight red.

Sarius simply inserted one card into his Duel Disk. Two swords appeared, one in each of his hands. They had elegant gold handles that spread apart like wings, and a thin silver blade.

"Twin Swords of Flurry-Toraisu," he explained to Amy, who was watching.

"I see." Amy caught sight of the Child, who was standing by another tree. "Who is that?"

"Let's not even start with it," Sarius interrupted. "An explanation would take too long. You might think this odd, but he will be fine there. He will be able to look after himself."

"Uh… alright…" Amy said doubtfully.

"Enough talk, they're coming!" Sakura warned.

A gunshot echoed through the silence. Amy barely ducked in time to avoid the bullet as several Commanders of Heaven entered the clearing. Amy estimated that there were at least twenty, or at least twenty-one counting the leader, but could not be sure.

"This is it?" one asked in disgust. "I thought there would be more than just two."

"Three," the leader corrected, nodding towards the Child. "The others must have gotten away-we'll catch up with them later. For now, slay these ones first!"

All of the Commanders had a sword and a gun, so whether it would be at long range or short range fighting, they would be ready. But the leader was the main concern, since he had a Duel Disk. The others didn't, probably to keep their arms free for swordplay. But a variety of cards would probably provide more dangerous than any of the other men.

And then they leapt forward. But before the one with the Duel Disk could do anything, he collapsed, blood flying from his chest. Amy and Sarius didn't see how it was caused, but the other Commanders did not seem to notice their leader's death.

Amy immediately activated one of the cards in her Duel Disk, causing some of the air to become a purple mist that floated around the area. Then she activated another, causing rain to come down. To her and Sarius, it felt cool and refreshing, but the Commanders didn't seem to have the same reaction. The rain burned their skin as though it was acid that was coming down instead of water. Many of the Commanders stopped in shock from the sudden pain, which caused them to cry out as each drop burned them. One Commander desperately brought forth a Red Potion, but instead of healing him, he fell to the ground, in too much pain to even move. Strangely, the rain seemed to strengthen Sakura rather than weaken her. The fireballs she shot out of her staff were not dampened at all by the rain, and any Commander who was unlucky enough to be in the way was burned instantly. Some died from the burns, while others were distracted long enough to be chopped apart by Sarius or Cyrus. Amy stayed nearby Raid, and any of the enemy who was unfortunate enough to go back there met their end to Raid's fangs.

One of the Commanders leapt after the Child, who had been calmly watching the battle. The Commander obviously thought that he would be easy to slay, but was quite mistaken. When he was close enough, the Child suddenly threw the golden ball he often carried at the opponent. With amazing speed and accuracy that was beyond anything Amy had seen, it flew straight at the Commander and slammed into his head, rebounding to the Child, who caught it easily. He looked at the man's corpse as though it was nothing more exciting than a rock. But Amy was stunned. The Child had just killed someone with a simple object that should have, at the most, stunned someone, and he didn't even seem to mind. Who was this kid?

Sarius didn't seem to notice. He was moving like a whirlwind, going from one Commander to the next, swords flashing as they pierced their prey. Cyrus was also quick, and his strength far surpassed any Commanders that tried to stand against him. Also, for some unexplained reason, Commanders all over the field kept falling for what appeared to be no apparent reason. It wasn't because of the rain either, for they would be bleeding from their head or neck or chest or some other location. Although concerned about what was causing it, Amy did not have much time to concern the matter.

One Commander actually managed to get up in front of Amy and slashed at her. Amy barely dodged the blow, but was cut across her right arm. Before he could strike again, Sakura was on him, smashing him with her staff before burning him to death.

By then, the fight was almost over. Sarius neatly skewered the second to last Commander, and the other one collapsed for what again seemed to have no cause. Amy shakily took out her two cards, causing the fog and rain to vanish. She also brought out a Red Potion, and the cut on her arm healed. It still pained her though, and she kept it as still as possible.

"What did you use?" Sarius asked as his swords vanished.

"Drug Reaction and Blessed Rain," Amy explained. "Normally, Blessed Rain helps others, but with Drug Reaction it acted the complete opposite. The one that tried to drink a Red Potion must have felt like he was trying to consume acid. A very painful and slow death… I feel kind of sorry for him."

"You don't need to worry," Matt told her, jumping down from the tree when he had climbed down close enough to the ground. "I put him out of his misery quickly."

That was when Amy noticed the rifle he was carrying. "You sniped some of them?"

"At least half went down because of my mad shooting skills," Matt said. "But enough on that. We should catch up with the others."

Amy staggered up, clutching her arm. "You guys go on ahead. I'm still in pain… I don't think I can keep up well."

"We'll go slowly," Sarius assured. "Just tell us when you need to rest and we'll halt for a few minutes."

"Alright, thanks."

With that said, they started to try and find their companions by taking the route to the lake.

-----

After a few minutes, the blizzard finally abated.

"About time!" Hope exclaimed.

"It wasn't that bad," Miles shrugged.

"Maybe not to you, but I can't stand the cold!" Hope snapped.

"No need to bite my head off," Miles muttered.

They walked on for a few more minutes, and finally broke through the trees. The lake shore was now in sight, along with the person on the shore.

She had on a white cloak, but left the hood down, which revealed her dark blonde hair that went to her shoulders. She also had startling blue eyes. Around her neck was a golden cross.

_This girl… she looks familiar!_ Brandi thought, startled.

Hope was also surprised, but for a different reason. She saw a faint black aura that seemed to be made of both sorrow and rage.

She caught sight of them. "So, you actually figured out where we were. My master was afraid that this might happen, and sent me to guard the portal."

"Who are you?" Perseus inquired.

"My name is Undine," she replied. "And I am here to slay two of you."

"Say… what?" Darche said in confusion.

"I'm not surprised that neither of you recognized me, Max and Brandi," she told them. "But you should know who my parents are. Does the name Aurora ring a bell?"

"You're Aurora's daughter?" Brandi asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Now do you see why I hate both of you? And I will avenge my parents by killing both of you!"

"You know, this gets old after a while," Max said, looking unimpressed.

"What?"

"We're sick of having our past brought up," Brandi stated. "You're not helping matters at all."

"And you think I care? You can't get into the portal until you duel me, so you can't just ignore this challenge!"

"On the contrary, we could," Max opposed. "But we won't. Unfortunately, there is two of us and only one of you."

"I'm lost," Larka complained. "What's going on? Who is Aurora supposed to be?"

"Oh… you've never heard about their past, have you?" Hope realized. "Well, I'll give you a brief version on it… if that's alright?" she asked Max and Brandi.

"Just make it short," Max said impatiently.

"Their father was killed by a bank robber," Hope explained. "And the bank robber was executed for it. His wife, Aurora, tried to kill Brandi in return by joining up with the Generals of Hell and dueling her. She lost though, and died for it. So this girl, Undine, hates Max and Brandi because, in her eyes, it looks as though it is all their fault."

"I see," Miles nodded.

"Can we just get on with the duel?!" Undine shouted.

"Fine. But how do they decide who duels her?" Draken questioned.

"Coin toss?" Will suggested.

"Nah, we'll do rock-paper-scissors," Max decided. "Ready?"

"Yep."

They turned to each other. "Rock-paper-scissors!"

"Rock for me," Max stated.

"Paper, I win," Brandi told him.

"Nah, rock rips paper. You have to duel her."

"Alright… hey, wait!"

"Then it's decided!" Undine said, activating her Duel Disk. "Face me Brandi!"

"Max, I'm going to kill you for this!" Brandi yelled at him before activating her own Duel Disk. "Mana, a Black Magician Girl, will be my Deck Master. What about you?"

In response, her monster appeared. It was a blue penguin that looked to be about five feet tall. It wore a black tuxedo and black top hat, with a red bow tie. His eyes were brown.

"Hokai, a Penguin Nightmare," Undine explained. "Shall we get started?"

Brandi: 8000

Undine: 8000

"I'll go first, since you challenged me," Brandi chose. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"Well, my hand's pretty much perfect," Undine stated. "I play Terra Forming, to put a field magic card from my deck to my hand. And now I play The Legendary City Atlantis!"

A tidal wave hit the field instantly. Brandi gave the water a ticked off look. Mana, on the other hand, was swept away, and managed to yell, "NOT AGAIN!" before being engulfed by water.

"This raises all of my Water Main-Types' stats by 200 points, and lowers their level by one. Also, Hokai makes all Water Main-Types get another 200 point attack power boost. So my monsters will be quite difficult to stop. Now I summon Water Configuration Bakross MK-3. (1900/1500) With Atlantis on the field, my monster is allowed to attack directly! And I will have it do so!"

Brandi: 6100

Undine: 8000

"I lay one card down, and end my turn."

By this time, Mana had managed to swim back to the surface and was now floating above the water. Brandi flipped over her monster. "Well, at least I can pull off my monster's effect. Meet my Swarm of Scarabs. (500/1000) When I flip them face up, one of your monsters is destroyed. So your MK-3 is gone. Then I summon Executioner Makyura. (1600/1200) Both of my monsters attack directly."

Brandi: 6100

Undine: 5900

"I will activate my Scarab's other effect to flip them back face down. Then I end my turn."

"Fine by me. I will summon Mermaid Knight. (1900/900) Then I activate Compensation of Blood. This trap allows me to pay 500 Life Points to special summon a monster from my hand. So I pay 500 Life Points to special summon Giga Gagagigo. (2850/1700)"

Brandi: 6100

Undine: 5400

"Now I will have Mermaid Knight attack your Scarabs. Mermaid Knight can attack twice when Atlantis is out on the field, so I'll have her attack your Makyura as well."

Brandi: 5800

Undine: 5400

"After that, Giga Gagagigo attacks directly!"

The beast moved forward to attack, only to suddenly be restrained by black chains.

"I activated Curse of Darkness, binding your monster and causing him to lose 700 attack points," Brandi explained. (2150/1700)

"But you had no traps down!" Undine protested.

"When Makyura is destroyed, I am allowed to activate traps from my hand for that turn."

"I see… in that case, I end my turn."

"I summon Giant Orc. (2200/0) He attacks Mermaid Knight. After attacking, he's forced to go to defense mode though."

Brandi: 5800

Undine: 5100

"I lay one card down and end my turn."

"I'll summon Fortress Whale of Darkness. (2500/1400) Then I pay 500 Life Points to special summon Spear Shellfish. (1200/1000)"

Brandi: 5800

Undine: 4600

"Since Spear Shellfish is unaffected by magic cards when Atlantis is on the field, it won't get a stat boost from Atlantis. But that doesn't really matter, since I will be sacrificing him for my Whale's effect. Whenever I sacrifice a Spear Shellfish, a magic or trap card is destroyed. So your card is now gone."

"That was my Torture Wheel…"

"My Whale will attack your Giant Orc. Then I end my turn."

Brandi looked at her new card. "Whew, got lucky. I activate Enemy Controller! This forces your Whale to go to defense mode! Then I summon Blood Vors. (1900/1200) He attacks your Whale and destroys it! I'll lay one card down and end my turn after that."

"Nice try, but not good enough! I pay 500 Life Points to special summon Gagagigo! (2250/1200) Then I sacrifice him for Leviadragon-Daidaros! (3000/1700) I will now activate his effect as well. By sending Atlantis to the Cemetery, all cards on the field other than Leviadragon are destroyed. Then I play another Atlantis  from my hand. Now I will have Leviadragon attack directly!"

Brandi: 2800

Undine: 4600

Brandi sighed as she gazed at her hand. "I'm going to have to use Mana's Deck Master Ability. This allows me to look at a certain number of cards from the top of my deck. This number is the amount of monsters that are in my Cemetery. I have Scarabs, Makyura, Giant Orc, and Blood Vors, so that's four. Then I pick one card to go to my hand… excellent, this one will work well. Alright, I lay two cards down and end my turn."

"You can't beat Leviathan that easily! I attack with him!"

"And I activate my face down card, Cry of the Living Dead!" Brandi declared. "That brings back my Blood Vors in attack mode! (1900/1200) Do you still wish to attack?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then I activate Shrink. This cuts your monster's attack power in half! (1500/1700) Now it doesn't stand a chance against Blood Vors!"

Brandi: 2800

Undine: 4400

"Argh… you'll pay for that. I summon Legendary Fisherman! (2050/1600) Then I end my turn."

"I'll equip my Blood Vors with Power of Teamwork! This raises his stats by 800 for every monster I have in play! (2700/2000) Blood Vors attacks Legendary Fisherman!"

"No can do. While I have Atlantis on the field, you cannot attack my Fisherman."

"Oh yeah… in that case, direct assault! Then I lay one card down."

Brandi: 2800

Undine: 1700

"I sacrifice my Fisherman for Water Guardian Suga! (2900/2600) Suga attacks!"

Brandi: 2600

Undine: 1700

Hope looked over at Zack. This might be her only chance…

"Zack? Can I talk to you for a moment?"

He looked over at her. "Alright…"

They drew back a few steps so that nobody would hear them.

"So what did you want to tell me?"

"Well…" Hope thought carefully over about how to say it. "Zack, I explained that I am not sure on what this orb's powers are, correct?"

"Yes."

"Back when you dueled Heather… right before the duel… I heard a voice, and thought I saw someone. I'm not sure who it was, but that person didn't want you to die. That's one reason why I've wanted you to continue living. Because someone else is depending on you to. I wanted to tell you now, in case I don't get the chance later."

He stared off into the distance. "And you don't know who it was?"

"No. But just remember that I care about you, whoever that was cares about you, and the others do as well. As does your family and friends in heaven."

_They would want you to live on, and enjoy the rest of your life._ Zack recalled those words that Larka had said.

"…Thanks. I'll think over it."

Then they went back to the group.

Brandi held her breath as she drew her card, and slowly let it out. "I'm saved. I summon Critter! (1000/600) Then I activate my face down card, Deck Destruction Virus of Death! By sacrificing Critter, all of your monsters that have more that 1500 attack in your hand and on the field are destroyed!"__

"But that means…"

"That you are wide open for an attack! I play Raise Dead on Blood Vors, bringing him to the field for the third time! (1900/1200) He attacks directly!"

Brandi: 2600

Undine: 0

"This can't be… no… I can't fail!" Undine said desperately.

But mere words would not change her fate. A large tidal wave of water slammed into her, driving her and her Soul Monster into the lake, never to be seen again.

"…I guess that's it," Brandi stated. "What now?"

"We can mourn later," Mana said. "But we need to save Rue before it's too late."

Malon yipped and ran down the hill, towards the lake. Nobody could see what he was trying to do for a few seconds, and then he came back, proudly carrying the golden cross that had been around Undine's neck.

"Good job Malon!" Larka congratulated, taking the cross from him. "It must have come off of her neck when the tidal wave hit her."

"Then that means we can get into the lake portal, right?" Miles inferred.

"Yep." Larka handed the cross to Hope. "Why don't you do it?"

"Alright…" Hope went to the lake edge and dipped the cross into the water.

For a minute, it just hung in the water, the sunlight glinting off of it.

Then it began to glow white. The whole lake, for a second, became pure light… and then it was back to being water, with one difference.

There was now a hole in the water, one of blinding light.

"This is it," Hope said. "We need to go down there."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Darche inquired.

"Well…" Hope turned to Claire. "Claire, this whole mess with the officials started because they found the orb of fire after we went into the General of Hell area. I don't want that to happen again. I want you to take this cross, and tell Amy, Matt, and Sarius where we are."

"No!" Claire protested. "I want to help! Rue is my brother! I care about him! Let me be there for him!"

"Claire, this is important!" Hope told her. "Really important! We need you to do this. There's another reason as well… Claire, we don't know what will happen down there! If we don't come back, we'll need someone to tell the others where we are! Please, help us!"

But there was another reason Hope didn't state. If Rue was… already… well, she didn't want Claire to have to deal with it. If it happened. Which she prayed it wouldn't.

Claire glared at her for a few moments before snatching the cross. "Fine. I don't like it, but I will. Good luck."

"Thanks." Hope looked over at the hole. "So… who should go first?"

"I went first for the Generals of Hell, and I'll do it again," Max volunteered. And without looking back he leapt into it, Olympion going as well.

Before anyone else could move forward, Fell jumped in, Daine following.

"I'll go next," Larka suggested. She lowered herself in as far as she could before she lost her grip on the ground and fell. Malon ran into it as well.

Then Zack leapt in. Will went after that. Neo tried to jump in, but tripped and fell head first.

"Typical," Draken muttered before going in himself, Darche following.

Then Brandi went down, and Mana dove in gracefully. Miles and Gen went in after her. Ruecian wasted no time hanging around after they were in. Now only Hope and Gaston were left.

"We'll try to be back soon," Hope assured.

"Alright. I hope you succeed."

"I do too," Hope agreed. Then she leapt in, Gaston following.

Claire watched as the hole sealed shut. "I wish I could have gone…"

"It was necessary to remain here," Perseus reminded her. "Don't worry. They can do it. You know that."

"Yes," Claire nodded, staring at the lake. "I do know, full well."

To be continued…


	29. Life's Hints

Sorry for the lack of updates. Look on the bright side! One more chapter and this part of Teknisk Wereld will be done!

John: Yes, again. Like mother like daughter. And believe me, I have considered using that combo, but it just isn't worth the effort.

Demon Fan: Thanks. And now you do know. P

Captain Obvious: Thanks for the compliment. As for the Magic User deck idea… that's Will. And Rue, in a nutshell.

**Chapter 29: Life's Hints**

Claire was sitting on the bank, looking over the golden cross as she waited for her four friends to arrive.

"It's a pretty object… too bad it had to be put to such evil uses," Claire sighed.

Perseus looked over at the woods. "I think they're coming now."

"Amy! Matt! Sarius! Over here!" Claire called.

The four of them came out, with Sakura, Raid, and Cyrus following.

"Hey Claire," Amy greeted. She accidentally tripped over an uneven part of the ground, but Sakura caught her. Unfortunately, it was by her injured arm, and she yelped in pain.

"What's wrong!" Claire exclaimed.

"It's nothing serious," Amy shrugged, and winced at the movement of her arm. "Just a shallow wound, but it's healed… what's been going on here?"

"The others went into the lake," Claire explained. "I was to stay behind to tell you guys, and to hold on to this." She held out the cross.

Sarius took it. "I'll make sure this is put somewhere safe. Or destroyed."

"So now we wait?" Matt inferred.

"That would be right," Sarius replied, sitting down by the lake edge. "All we can do is hope they'll succeed."

…

Rue had no idea where he was. He looked around, only to see that he was bound upon a stone cross with several symbols written on it. The cross was on a stone, with yet more symbols.

He was in what could only be a cemetery. Gravestones and statues were all over the place in neat rows. There was an aisle though, for there were no graves in front of the cross he was bound on. There was a darker area at the end of the gravestones, which could have been a portal or something of the sort. It was a grey, cloudy night, and the stars and moon were hidden.

_What happened? Where am I? Ruecian! Is he ok?_ Rue looked around the area again, as though hoping to see an answer to his questions. But there was nobody there.

_And why do I feel so… weakened? My head hurts like hell, sure, but the rest of my body feels really weak…_

"_How irritating._ _It seems whoever has captured us knows some of my weaknesses. With these symbols on a holy object, such as a cross, my powers are useless!"_

Rue closed his eyes. _That voice again… but I think it's coming from inside my head… who are you!_

"_About time you've caught on. I'm surprised you didn't guess this sooner. I am Demon Rue."_

_Demon Rue!_ _Who are you! Why are you inside of me!_

"_Who am I? That is a difficult question to answer, so I will just ignore it. As for why I am inside of you… let's just say that I am a little clueless on that one too. My memory has faded away, and I can recall nothing on the matter."_

_You took over me! You caused me to kill ones that didn't deserve death!_

"_You cannot make me discard my nature. I am a demon. Killing is a hobby to me."_

_Then get your own damn body so that you can kill others without involving me!_

"_Believe me, if I could, I would. Your human body is too pathetic and weak for me to handle well. Then again, it does have benefits. At least I am not being burned by the cross, since your human flesh protects you. But still, I am very weakened… I cannot stay. I must rest…"_

_Wait! I'm not finished with you yet!_

There was no response.

_Damn it all. Just when I was getting some answers… I guess all I can do now is wait for something to happen. That doesn't necessarily reassure me. _

…

Hope slowly opened her eyes. What she saw made her sit up instantly.

Everyone had made it, and were coming to as well. They were lying on grey stone tile inside a magnificent building. There were several wooden pews, which is where they had been laying. There was a huge wooden door as well, with engraved symbols that they could not make out. It also had elegant golden handles. The walls around them had several stained glass windows. They all showed different scenes and pictures that related with religion. Hope didn't study them though, for what was up front had caught her attention.

There were steps that led to the front, where a beautiful wooden cross was. Red, velvet drapes were behind it, concealing the walls. There were also three pictures behind it, all of them obviously painted by a master artist, that the velvet drapes were curled around so that the portraits could still be seen. They looked very life like, and Hope was astonished at how vivid they appeared. The one to the left showed Jesus Christ crucified, blood running down his body. Agony showed on his face, but Hope also recognized another emotion… sorrow? Pity? Yes, that was it, sorrow and pity for what God's children had become.

The one on the right was someone who could only be God. He wore a brown cloak and held a simple wooden staff. His face was drawn to show kindness and love, but it was his eyes that made you trust him. His eyes made Hope feel more safe than she had ever felt in her entire life.

But the one in the center was what really caught her attention. It had three creatures drawn on it. The one to the left was a huge, blue creature that had a human stature. It had blood red eyes and white teeth that gleamed. Two spike-like objects came out of each of his shoulders that appeared to be armored. His whole body was built like a fighter's, someone with powerful muscles that stood out. Spike-like things came out of his head as well, making his head look like an elegant crown of some sort. A deadly, yet compelling piece of work. On its forehead was a huge, slightly darker blue jewel that sparkled in a mesmerizing manner.

The one in the center was a huge, snake-like dragon. Its body was red, except for its underbelly, which had black, hard scales. Its wings were also red. It had several feet that had three white claws. But Hope couldn't count how many there were, because the body stretched on and on and on… it went on forever. It coiled around another thing in the picture almost lovingly, and the body went out of the frame after that. It also had several red spikes. On its forehead was another blue jewel, much like the first creature's. It also had two mouths, both with had glinting, silver teeth. Its glaring eyes were yellow.

The last creature was on the right. It had a golden body that shone like the setting sun. It walked on two legs, and each one had three golden claws. It had a long tail that was curled around the frame of the portrait. It had two short, yet sturdy arms with three golden claws as well. Its wings were enormous, and in fact were bigger than the beast itself. Its head looked like an eagle's, except that no eagle had teeth as well as a beak. Its eyes were also a horrifying red.

Hope had to suppress a yelp when she saw what else was in the picture though. The red dragon was actually coiling around an all-too familiar figure. His black clothes… his claw-like fingernails… his silver hair… the pitchfork strapped across his back… the controlled black aura around him… Satan. It could only be him. His eyes were closed though, as though he was sleeping. His expression betrayed nothing, simply being in a calm state. And all three creatures watched him.

Hope didn't know how, but those three creatures seemed familiar to her somehow. Like a distant memory she had forgotten and was just rediscovering. But she could not figure out why they seemed recognizable. And the picture of Satan did not bring back pleasant memories either. She forced herself to tear her eyes away from the picture.

There was also something else. It was another, but smaller, wooden door. Engraved on it was a wooden staff crossing over a pitchfork. Words were also written there, but Hope was too far away from the door to be able to make them out.

There was also a balcony above the center. It had a wooden door that led to it as well, and another wooden door that led elsewhere. Where that would be, Hope did not know.

The whole area made Hope feel more secure than she had for a very long time. It wasn't pure light… the portrait with Satan reminded her of that. But it was the exact opposite of the General of Hell area, that was for sure. She could _feel_ the light, it was so strong.

It could only be one thing: a church.

But they were not alone. There was someone else there as well. At the front of the room was a man. He too wore a beautiful white robe. His back was to them though, so they could not be sure of what his face was like, but he had shoulder-length blonde hair. He was kneeling in front of the cross, his hands clasped in prayer.

Hope got up slowly, looking over to see the others. They also rose, examining the church with awe. The only difference was that nobody reacted to the picture of Satan like Hope had.

Actually, Max DID react. He paled as he caught sight of the picture, and forced himself to quit gazing at it, much like Hope had.

_What did he see?_ Hope wondered. _Gaston and I are the only ones who saw Satan… the others did as well, but they can't recall it like I can…_

_That blue creature... I recognize it… but how?_ Max thought.

"What is this place?" Draken whispered, keeping his eyes on the figure up front.

"I'm not sure," Hope replied. "But it seems like a church. It's so peaceful…"

"I agree. I've never felt this well in my entire life," Larka said. "There's so much light energy…"

"That must explain how I feel," Gen stated. "I feel very energized… but I am a Light Main-Type. Perhaps that is why?"

"I think you're right," Darche nodded. "I feel the same. Neo, Malon?"

"Yep," Neo responded.

Malon gave a soft yip.

"But I feel weak…" Mana complained. She certainly didn't look her best. She was slumped against a pew, clutching her staff as though it was a lifeline.

"I also seem to lack power," Daine agreed. "Perhaps it is because we are Dark Main-Types. Ruecian? Olympion?"

Ruecian nodded, but Olympion didn't reply. Nobody had really expected him to.

"We've come too far to back out now. How about we talk to him?" Will suggested, indicating to the man up front.

"But what if he is an enemy?" Brandi pointed out.

"He isn't," Hope said automatically. "I don't know how I know, but I'm positive he isn't an enemy." And with that, she started walking down the aisle. The others, after some hesitation, followed.

The man did not rise as they approached, but began to speak. "So you have come."

"What is this place?" Zack asked.

"That is a difficult question to answer. The Commanders of Heaven have made this their location, so you could call it the destination you wanted to reach. All you need to do is go through the door above here."

All their eyes went to the wooden door on the balcony area.

"It can't be that easy," Miles protested. "What's the catch?"

"I see you have learned that all tasks require more than you might believe at first sight. To get through that door, you must travel through a certain room. In there, you will see a vision. Whether this is something you wish to see or not, you must go through it in order to continue. Be warned: what you will see might change your life forever. But it could also give you great strength to face your enemy."

"Why are you helping us?" Brandi inquired.

"The Commanders of Heaven oppose the Lord. They are my enemy as well."

"What? They oppose God? You mean they aren't trying to resurrect him, like the Generals of Hell were trying to do for Satan?" Will asked.

"Think about their names. Generals of Hell… they served Lucifer. But the Commanders of Heaven want to overthrow God and seize control of Heaven."

"They're insane!" Draken exclaimed. "How can they expect to win against God?"

"Look at the center portrait."

They turned their gazes to it.

"In that picture you see the three gods. There is Immense Divine Soldier of Obelisk, Saint Dragon-God of Osiris, and Ra-The Sun of God Dragon. These creatures in their true forms have power that could stand up to God. Yet these creatures were too strong. God managed to take away some of their power by sealing them into cards. He could not destroy them though, for they have far too much power, and power cannot be simply discarded. If all three gods returned to their former might, they could very well be unstoppable."

"Why is… Satan… in that picture as well?" Hope asked nervously.

"…Your name is Hope, correct?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, yes," she answered, somewhat confused about how he had known.

"The gods were created by Lucifer. They are actually parts of him that he made to battle God with."

"What do you mean, they are parts of him?" Will inquired.

"Lucifer took his very essence and tore it apart. Using his powers, he created the three gods. He has also created other things. One would be the enemy you fought, Hope."

"You mean… that wasn't really Satan?" Hope inferred.

"It was a part of him, and it is the form he most commonly takes. But the real Lucifer is still as he is in this picture-asleep. He will not rise until all three god cards are unsealed and brought together."

"How are they supposed to be unsealed?" Larka queried.

"When one of the cards is summoned in a duel, the seal is broken. But not just any duelist can use a god card. They are judged by the god, and if found worthy, perhaps the god will lend its strength. However, if you are found unworthy, the god will turn on you and kill you."

"I think I understand now," Will said thoughtfully. "The Commanders of Heaven are trying to collect all of the god cards to unseal them, and then try to overthrow God. They may not support Satan, but they are not aware that the gods are on his side. Is that right?"

"Correct," the man replied.

"But why would they take Rue then?" Miles wondered.

"You are aware that he is the host for a demon, correct?" the man asked.

"Yes," Hope nodded.

"The leader of the Commanders thinks that a sacrifice might cause the gods to accept him as their master. That demon has enough dark energy sealed inside of himself to please all three gods, if it comes to that. So he shall slay your companion as an offering."

"Then we must hurry!" Larka exclaimed.

"But in truth… they have taken the wrong person," the man stated. "There is one who would serve as a much better sacrifice."

Nobody knew what to say to that.

"If you are prepared to go through the ordeals to save your friend, then let us begin." The man finally stood, and turned to face them.

His face was too perfect. Flawless, unmarked, fair was an understatement. But his eyes were what grasped them. Those pale blue eyes that spoke of wisdom beyond any human's. In fact… he couldn't be human. It was impossible. His eyes showed too much from ordeals faced to make them think otherwise.

"Each of you will have to go through that door, one at a time. When your ordeal is done, you are to exit the room. When you are above us, then the next person may go in. There is no specific order that you must go in."

They walked over to the door to examine it. Max indicated to the staff and pitchfork. "What do those stand for?"

"You may face good or evil in there. The staff symbolizes God and light. The pitchfork symbolizes Lucifer and darkness."

"You keep calling him Lucifer," Will noticed. "Is there a reason?"

"It is the name I know him by," the man said simply.

Hope looked down at the writing. It was in a language she didn't recognize.

"What does that writing say?" Draken asked.

"_Your soul shall be revealed for what it is. Whether this is what you wish to see or not, the knowledge will strengthen you. Remember what you experience, for it is vital._"

Everyone stared at Hope in amazement. She blushed slightly. "I have no idea how I knew that…"

"So you can read it," the man confirmed. "I expected no less."

The others finally tore their eyes away from Hope to look over at the man.

"You all must go eventually. Who will be the first to face their ordeal?"

The silence seemed even thicker now. The man and the words on the door had caused them all to feel very hesitant.

To their surprise though, Fell stepped forward. "I will."

"You, going first?" Draken said scornfully. "You sure you can handle whatever you see?"

"Draken, enough!" Hope said. "We don't have time for petty arguments! Rue could die any minute! So please, save any insults you have for later!"

"Yeah… sorry," Draken muttered.

The man examined Fell. "You are sure?"

"Yes."

"What about our Soul Monsters?" Will asked. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, but I just thought of this. Are our Soul Monsters allowed to come in with us?"

"No. Unless your ordeal tells you otherwise, your Soul Monsters are to remain in their Soul Cards."

"Very well. I will be back as soon as you call me, master," Daine assured before vanishing.

"If you are ready, then enter," the man said.

Fell nodded, and opened the door. White light came out from it, blinding them. Then it closed. When they could manage to see again, Fell was gone.

"I hope he'll be alright…" Larka whispered.

Malon whined slightly.

"He'll be fine," Hope reassured. "We'll all get through this. We have to. Rue is counting on us."

…

Fell had been blinded by the light at first, but now he was in total darkness. The door was gone. There was nothing there except for himself, the only thing in this world of darkness.

_What is this place?_ he thought, looking all around the area. _Is this supposed to be the ordeal?_

"…Fell…"

He looked over in the direction he had heard the voice, but saw nothing.

_Am I just imagining things?_

"…Fell…"

No, there it was again. He looked back in the direction it had come from. "Who's there!"

"…Fell."

He turned once more, but this time found the speaker. It was a young boy. He wore a short-sleeved black shirt and black pants, much like Fell's. Also like him, he had on no shoes. He also had black hair, and brown eyes that reflected sorrow.

Fell took a step back. "You're…"

"I see you recognize me," the boy stated.

"You're… me…"

"Yes," he whispered. "I am you. You when you were younger… only six… do you remember…?"

"…"

"A time when you wanted nothing more than to have friends," his younger self said quietly. "For you and your sister to have companions. Yes, your sister was everything to you back then. Her and your parents. The only quality that has remained with you for all of these years is your loyalty to your sister."

He stepped forward. "What happened to your other feelings? The ones of loneliness, and your desire for friends?"

"…"

"You didn't lose them, did you? You still feel lost and alone."

"…Why would I?" Fell objected. "I don't care about that kind of thing anymore."

"But you do," was his reply. "You act as though you do not, and perhaps you do not even realize that you have those feelings, for you have stored them away. However, you must have those feelings still, or else I would not exist."

"What?"

His younger version solemnly held out his arm. It appeared to be normal… and then suddenly faded.

"I am barely holding on," he said softly. "Barely. You have neglected your feelings for far too long. If you continue to do this, then I will vanish. And you will be left with only one personality…"

"Which would be me."

Fell spun around to see another figure appear. This one looked just like him at first glance. But then he saw that his counterpart had longer, sharper fingernails, teeth that looked more like fangs, and red eyes.

"Are you…?"

"You normally only see me on a full moon," the older one smirked. "I am the wolf that is in you, the artificial part that Viken placed within your blood. But I am not completely synthetic. You also formed me from the feelings you have pent up inside of you. The hatred for what that wretched man did to you and your sister, the desire you have for revenge, the pain from what has occurred to you for your entire life! You are slowly becoming what I am. Soon, you will be nothing more than a soulless beast, existing only to feel the delight of killing."

"...I will? But isn't that… what I have wanted?"

"You only think you want that to happen," his younger self whispered. He never spoke up, and it was always difficult to make out his words. Was that because his existence was about to end? "But you do care enough to keep your soul intact. Why else would you want to keep Daine close by you when a full moon approaches? You do not want meaningless deaths. But that is not all. You said it yourself-you care too much about your sister to let go of your emotions. You try to ignore her words, but you cannot, for she is the only person you have allowed yourself to connect with."

"…"

"She cares about you… you cannot ignore it. If she requests something, you listen to her. She has made many friends and loves this new chance at life she has been given, and she wants you to enjoy it too. That is why she asks you to try and make friends among this group."

"…Yes… she does want that… but she does not understand how I feel." Fell was not sure why he was even bothering to try and convince these two. They were parts of him, right? Then shouldn't they know how he felt?

"On the contrary, nobody understands more than her," his older version growled. "She has gone through the same things you have, and knows of the pain just as well as you. She just chooses to deal with it differently."

"Why are you assisting me?" Fell asked him. "Don't you want to take over my body?"

"As strange as it is, I've grown used to staying dormant. I'd prefer to only keep a part of you; it's much more interesting."

"Why do you refuse to show your true feelings? To show part of me?" whispered his younger self. "Is it because you fear having more pain?"

Fell had never felt this way before, like he had to express all of his feelings to someone. But if this was the ordeal…

"…It is more than that. I have felt physical pain, but it always heals. I could not take away my sister's pain though. Her cries hurt me far more than Viken did... I could heal over time from wounds to my body, but my soul cannot."

"That is understandable," his younger self said softly. "But you must remember this. You care for your sister more than yourself, correct?"

"…Yes."

"She has been hurt by your actions. So in a way, she is going through the pain you have been so desperately trying to avoid. Is that what you want? Also, do not forget… that you might be hurt more by trying to push everyone out of your life, than if you knew them and they died. You have wanted companions, and this is your chance, perhaps your only chance, to get them."

Fell looked over into the distance. "My ways… I have lived by them for ten years, and you are telling me to just change them?"

"Not immediately," was his quiet response. "Just gradually begin to get to know them. Accept your sister and grow to show your love for her. As time passes, they will become your friends, as long as you give them that chance."

"Unless they don't give me one," Fell muttered. "You are part of me, so you must know what I have seen and done. And I can think of a few people who might not, such as Max."

"Once you change your outlook on things, he will learn to accept you," assured his younger self. "He is just reacting to how he sees you now. Once you act somewhat differently, he will become accustomed to you. Although he may never admit it..."

"So, will you think over this?" growled his older form.

"I will do at least that much," Fell nodded.

"Then it is done…" murmured his younger version as he walked forward. As he did, the older version leapt right into him. A flash of light obstructed the vision, before they were revealed again. This form looked exactly like Fell did now.

"To show us that you mean this, take my hand," his copy ordered. The voice was a cross between a whisper and the snarling voice that had been the young and old form. And the copy held out his right hand.

Fell hesitated, and then reached out with his own right hand, clasping his copy's own.

Then he felt something merge with him. Light blinded him for the third time as he felt something enter him.

When he could see again, he was in an empty room. The floor, walls, and ceiling were made from stone tiles. There was a stained glass window on the wall opposite of the door, a huge one. It had a black background, with a yellow cross.

The cross had been glowing white. Now the glow was fading away.

Fell made a mental note to think about the window later. At the moment, he had too many things to consider.

…

It was silent outside. Minutes seemed to stretch into hours as the rest of the group waited nervously while sitting on the front row of pews. Only the man seemed calm, gazing over at the balcony.

At long last, the upper door opened. Everyone glanced up, and saw Fell walk out, closing the door behind him.

"Fell! Are you alright?" Larka exclaimed.

Fell looked over at her and nodded before bringing out his Soul Card. Daine appeared instantly, looking over inquiringly but not asking his master about what had happened.

"Well done," the man nodded. "Wait up there while your companions go through the room as well. Who will go next?"

"I will," Max volunteered, glancing over at Fell, who gazed back calmly.

Olympion vanished in response to his words. Then Max stepped over to the door and went inside. The light flooded out, causing them to cover their eyes. And then Max was gone.

…

Max was alone in an area of darkness. There was nothing else there but himself, since the door had vanished.

_Alright, now what?_ he wondered.

Then he saw something ahead. It was some kind of land, but he could not make out any details, as it was too far away.

_Better than just standing here,_ Max shrugged, and began walking towards it. That in itself felt strange; walking on darkness was something he did not commonly do, after all. But he didn't think about it, assuming that just about anything could happen in here.

He finally reached the land, and felt somewhat relieved to be able to see what he was stepping on now. He was on a dirt ground now, with no living things in sight. It was nighttime, and the sky was covered with grey clouds. It would rain soon.

As he walked on, his prediction came true. Raindrops began pouring from the sky, and soon a lightning bolt crashed above him.

_When will this end? So far, all I've seen is land, and all I've gotten for my troubles is a bunch of soaked clothes, _Max thought in disgust.

Then he finally saw something in the barren land. An object was up ahead.

_About time! _He ran up to it, wanting to get the ordeal over with quickly.

And then stopped and stared at the object, horrified.

It was the body of his sister. Brandi lay there, dead, blood still pouring from her wounds.

But she wasn't the only one. Hope, Rue, Claire, Will, Miles, Draken, Fell, Larka, Zack, they were all there too, all dead. And they all had multiple wounds.

Max stared at them, shaken. _This can't be real… it's just an illusion… it's just an illusion…_

"Or is it?"

Max spun around to see someone standing there. And stepped back in shock. It was _him_. Yet there was something wrong with him… his eyes were bloodshot, and that grin… that evil, delighted grin he wore… Max could barely stand to look at him. He had never seen anything as terrifying in his entire life, and that was indeed saying something.

"Are you sure it is just an illusion?" he smirked. "Or is it a mere telling of the future? You call them your friends? It is a pity that they chose you to befriend, seeing as you will one day be their executioner."

"What? Why would I kill them!" Max exclaimed. "You're wrong! I wouldn't!"

"Deny it all you like," his other self sneered. "But it will happen. They will die, and it will be all your fault."

Then everything faded away, and Max was left in the cold, stone room with the stained glass window.

Max sat there for a few minutes, taking deep breathes to try and calm himself.

_Get a grip on yourself, _he thought. _It was just a test… nothing more…_

But with that person still on his mind, he was finding it hard to convince himself.

…

Everyone glanced up as the door opened and Max came out. He looked somewhat pale, but otherwise, he seemed fine.

"Max? Are you ok?" Brandi asked.

"…Yeah." Max took out his Soul Card, calling out Olympion.

"I want to go next!" Brandi declared before the man could ask.

"Very well."

For once, Mana did not object about going back to her Soul Card. Brandi flung open the door. Once more, the light came out of the room. And once more, when it was gone, so was one of their companions.

…

At first, there was only darkness around Brandi. But then it began to change, forming a scene. She was standing in a location she knew well. It was a beach nearby her home. The home she had before running away, that is.

Yes, there was no mistaking it. She was back on Myrtle Beach.

Down by the waters, she saw a group of people. She approached cautiously, not knowing what to expect.

When she was nearby, she suddenly realized who she was seeing. It was Randall, Abby, and Max. They were talking to each other, laughing together.

Brandi smiled slightly as she watched. She recognized this. It had taken place about six years ago, before… Randall had died…

_Where am I?_ Brandi wondered. _I remember being here as well, but…_

"I see you remember this day."

Brandi jumped in shock, turning to look behind her.

There stood a copy of her. Well, she almost looked exactly like Brandi, except that she was younger.

"What? Why… aren't you over there?" Brandi asked.

The younger girl glared at her. "Because I have to talk with you, of course. What on earth has happened to you?"

"Huh?"

"I used to know you, but you act nothing as you did before! Look at you now. Back then, you cared about your family and friends…" She indicated to the trio nearby. "But now you only care for your brother and yourself. Are you heartless or something?"

"That isn't true!" Brandi exclaimed. But she knew, as she said it, that she was trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince her counterpart.

"Quit denying it. You act as though you love Matt, but you are not taking your relationship seriously!"

"That's… I just…" Brandi couldn't make herself continue.

"And what about your hopes and dreams? Did you lose sight on those when your father died? You are being selfish!" spat her younger self. "Rethink your actions, or you will never have the relationship you are being offered, or the better life you have a chance to live!"

Then she ran off, down towards her family.

_She's right… I have to accept this new life. Because I cannot go back to my old one_, Brandi thought sadly.

Then light obstructed her vision. When it cleared, she was in the room, staring up at the stained glass window.

…

Brandi walked out of the room, causing everyone to look over at her.

"Did it go well?" Max inquired. He looked better now, as though he had gotten over what he had seen. In truth, he hadn't, but he would worry about it later.

Brandi shrugged slightly before bringing out Mana.

"I think I'll go now," Will decided. "It'll be better to just get it over with."

"Then go forth," the man said.

After Neo was gone, he strode inside.

…

Like the others before him, all he saw was blackness at first.

Then he heard a voice speak.

"**Knowledge bearer, I can offer no further assistance to the upcoming fight. But perhaps this wisdom will assist you in the future."**

Then the darkness cleared, leaving Will to be able to see.

Max stood in front of a big, blue creature that was about to attack… the one that he had seen in the center picture.

And then, just as quickly as that vision had come, another took its place. Three shadowy figures stood in front of him, speaking to each other. One seemed to be laughing.

Then another vision came. Brandi was lying on the ground, unconscious, while someone else ran away…

And the visions kept coming and changing.

A cloaked figure lay on the ground, in the forest.

Zack was lying on the couch, in serious pain.

Will's skin felt as though it were being branded. This agony… he wanted to die…

Miles stared straight ahead at a house on fire, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret for what he had done…

Hope was on a river bank, coughing and trying desperately to breathe.

Fell was on the ground, bleeding from several wounds, while Larka cried over him.

Draken was talking with a girl who lay in bed. She laughed at whatever he was saying.

A figure was trying to strangle another.

Brandi was screaming in pain as a whip came down upon her.

Larka was speaking with Matt, whose eyes were filled with rage.

Miles was looking at Gen, with astonishment in his eyes.

Rue was sitting in a chair, oddly off balance.

A mechanical robot was charging at them, only to be stopped as Zack leapt at him.

A man was fighting with Fell, their claws slashing at each other.

A huge, red dragon, once more from the center picture, glared down at Zack, who seemed frozen from shock.

Brandi was in bed, sweating in her sleep, pain evident by her expression.

The Child was gazing at the golden ball, which was glowing.

Juno was talking to a group of people Will had never seen.

Sarius was speaking with Larka, who seemed astonished.

Draken reached into a hat and pulled out a card.

Light emitted from Hope as she was kneeling over someone.

Fell grabbed Miles by his bandana and yanked him away from something.

Zack was speaking with Larka, who was staring at him avidly.

Mana was sitting beside Brandi, who still lay in bed.

Chasity was behind a man who was dueling against a woman, trying to sit up. She was injured severely. But Will could not see either duelist clearly…

Dark energy came out of a girl and entered Hope. But Will could not see who the girl was…

The large, golden beast emerged, the last of the Gods, while Larka stood in front of it, petrified.

Juno stared down at a boy who was shaking in fear.

Sarius and the Child were glowing…

Brandi was on the floor, crying hysterically while Larka tried to comfort her.

Hope, Rue, Max, and Will were together in an area of darkness.

Hope was standing in front of someone as darkness cloaked her…

A figure in shadows glared upon them, a being too mutated to be called human…

The officials were talking to the entire group.

Fell, Larka, and Sarius were walking away from them.

A boy was lying in the snow.

Hope was embracing Max… but was that them? They looked older…

A girl was lying in a hospital bed, unconscious.

A woman, one Will had never seen, emerged from a spring.

A girl with a silver cross was typing at a computer, her eyes narrowed.

Demon Rue was blasting someone with dark magic. But he looked older too… or was it just Rue who looked older, so Demon Rue looked older as well?

The older Hope was talking to another man… who it was, Will could not see.

Another boy was staggering, his arm bleeding.

A group of children were talking together. There were two girls and two boys.

The group of four was there again, this time with a woman accompanying them.

A man smirked, holding up a playing card that was an ace of spades.

A boy reached his hand up to a black glove that covered his arm and pulled it off.

A child gazed at a group of people in wonder, her eyes shining.

There were four more shadowy figures… no, there was another as well, one that seemed very powerful…

Zack was falling down a canyon.

One of the girls he had seen in the group of four was now shaking with rage... or was it? Why were their tears running down her cheeks then? Was it sorrow and rage?

The young girl stood in front of a graveyard, her eyes dry.

A girl sat on a swing, staring at the dusk. Something dripped from her hands… blood?

A man brought his huge sword down, cutting down his opponent.

There was an army of Duel Monsters, and behind them, seven figures that emitted great power…

Two males were battling each other, both extremely fast. A clink of golden rings came from one, while the other seemed unarmed.

A pale man with a cape brought up a familiar girl within his hands. He smirked, and then his teeth went to her neck. Another man watched, his eyes flashing with regret.

A girl was injected with something, yet nothing seemed to happen…

Another girl closed her green eyes, wincing, and then opened them again. One was now blue.

A menacing figure stood before six he had seen…

A man spoke to a female, one he recognized, before the man vanished in a white flash.

And then the orb, the one around Hope's neck, was glowing with light and darkness.

And a glowing cross appeared before him. Behind it, he thought he could see someone wearing a brown robe, carrying a staff.

"**Do not forget what you have seen. For these events, and more, could change the fate of the world…"**

And then the darkness was gone, leaving Will in the room.

Will stared at the stained glass window as he sat down, trying to let his heart calm down. When he finally felt ready, he left the room.

…

"Will! Are you alright? You look shaken," Draken commented.

"Yeah… it's fine, really," he assured. "I'm just a little confused." He looked around at his friends. Had he seen the future? Would all of those things occur for sure? Would he be forced to watch his friends suffer through all of those tortures again, but in real life? He let Neo emerge, still pondering.

"Um… may I go now?" Larka requested. "Will's right, it'll be easier to just get it over with."

"Go ahead."

Malon whined softly.

"It's only for a few minutes," Larka told him.

He whined again before vanishing. Then Larka entered.

…

Darkness was all around her. She looked around, but could see nothing.

Then she heard someone approaching, and turned to face him.

"Sarius!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Larka… you are here. Good." Sarius glanced around the area. "Nice place, isn't it?"

"Why did you come?"

"I wanted to discuss a few things with you, that's all." He looked over at her. "I do have quite an interest for you and your brother, after all."

"Why?"

"Stay alive and you'll find out later," he told her. "But be careful. Dark forces are at work, and they will want to dispose of you. You can be sure of it."

"What?"

"Just look out for yourself, and your friends," he said. "I can explain more later, when the time is right."

"How is this an ordeal?"

"What, you think I'm the ordeal? I just came to give you a heads up," Sarius shrugged. "But truth be told, you don't really need an ordeal. You are as ready as you can get to face what you must. However, there is one other thing you need to see. So I'll leave for now. Bye."

"Wait!" Larka called, but it was too late. He was already gone.

She looked around, wondering what else would come.

"Konnichiwa."

The Child had appeared right in front of her.

"Huh? Oh… um, hi?"

The Child nodded. "Ki o tskete… abunai kuru."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you are saying," Larka said, confused.

"Gomen-nasai, Hikari," he replied, before holding up the golden ball, which began to glow.

"What?"

"Sumi-masen… machigae-mashta. Sayonara." Then he turned and walked away.

The darkness was gone, leaving Larka in the room.

_What was that all about?_ Larka wondered. She looked over at the stained glass window. _Why would Sarius and the Child be interested in my brother and me? Who are they, anyway? We hardly know anything about them…_

…

Larka opened the door and closed it quietly, looking over at the others.

"Did it go well?" Hope asked.

"It wasn't bad at all," Larka said before letting Malon emerge again. The puppy immediately leapt into her arms, whimpering. He still didn't really like going into his Soul Card, or so it seemed.

"…I guess I will go now," Zack decided. "If that is alright?"

"It is fine."

Without further hesitation, Zack went in.

…

As usual, darkness was the only thing to greet Zack. He scanned the area, but saw nothing.

Then someone appeared in front of him. It was a woman who wore a long dress. Her hair went to about her waist. But it was impossible to tell what color her dress, hair, or eyes were, for she was pale and transparent. She was slightly glowing yellow though.

He was unable to speak for a few seconds.

"Zack? Do you recognize me?" the woman asked.

"…Crystal?"

She smiled slightly. "Yes. I am glad we can talk to each other at last, even if it cannot be for long."

"How are you here? And what do you mean, it cannot be for long?"

"When I died, I could not leave this world, knowing that you would want to die. Zack, the time will come when you will eventually die. You should not rush your death. Only a certain few are lucky enough to get a second chance at having a well-lived life. You were brought back to this world, giving you a second chance at this."

"But I have no reason to be here. I've only wanted to be able to see you… and our children… and to apologize…"

"Why? It was a mistake. In fact, Andrew is already in heaven, but he gave me a message before going," Crystal said.

"What?"

"He said that he was sorry. He says he acted without thinking, and that he should have been more loyal to his few friends than the military. Especially since he was drafted, and did not want to go in the first place. But he was worried for what would happen to Heather if he didn't follow his orders. In a way, you put his soul to rest. He also hopes that you can forgive him, but understands if you cannot."

He stared at her, shocked. "That's… what I said… back then…"

She laughed. "You two were so much alike that I am not surprised. I can still see some of the similarities at this moment. But the point is that he wants you to forgive him, and you want him to forgive you. So that means that there is nothing to worry about, right?"

"Even after all that has happened, you haven't changed," Zack commented.

"But you have. And I don't want you to dwell on the past. What has happened has happened; you cannot change it. So accept it and move on. I am sure that some of your other friends have already told you this?"

"You know?"

"Yes. I have been following your group for quite some time. I think one of your friends actually managed to hear me speak."

"Hope," he answered. "It must have been Hope."

"Yes, that's right… she has quite unusual talents. I'm sure traveling with her will be quite interesting," Crystal commented.

"What about you?"

She sighed. "I've managed to stay here for this long, but I can remain on Earth no longer. I must go to heaven."

Zack looked away. "…I see."

"Don't feel sad," Crystal smiled. "We will see each other again one day. Whenever you do die and come to heaven, I will be waiting, as will our children, Andrew, and Heather. Speaking of Heather, I talked to her before she went to heaven and explained the entire situation. She was ashamed for her actions, and hopes that you will forgive her as well."

"But I killed her!"

"She says it is her fault for not accepting the truth. So will you forgive her?"

"If she can forgive me," Zack nodded.

"She already has. She is actually grateful, since she can see Andrew again." Crystal looked up. "Hm… my time is nearly up. I will have to leave soon. I am sorry. But remember what I and your friends have told you, ok? Stay alive for us. We will have all of eternity to spend once you arrive in heaven, but you have a limited time on Earth. Alright?"

"…Very well," Zack sighed.

"Oh! I nearly forgot to mention this. Don't hesitate to fall in love with someone else."

Zack stared at her again. "What?"

She laughed. "I can sense it. You are beginning to fall in love with someone. You may not realize that yet, but there will come a time when you do. When it happens, don't be afraid to confess it. I would rather that you are happy more than anything, and I know you won't forget about me or our children."

"…"

"Well… as much as I hate to say it, I do have to leave now." She gazed at him sadly. "I wish you best of luck with your life. Don't keep all of your feelings pent up; you have friends that will help you deal with what you need to. So don't be afraid to express your emotions." She turned away. "Good-bye, until we meet again."

"…Yes. Good-bye…" Zack could think of nothing else to say besides that. He had so many things he wanted to tell her, yet could not bring himself to.

And then he was in the room. He too was forced to wait a few minutes to recover before leaving.

…

Everyone looked over at Zack as he stepped out of the room.

"Are you alright?" Larka asked.

"…I will be." Although Zack was sad for not being able to see his wife again, he felt as though he might finally have a chance to live on. Maybe.

"Then it's my turn," Draken announced. "I'll see you guys in a few minutes."

After Darche went back into his Soul Card, Draken opened the door.

…

Draken looked around the dark area, but found, like everyone else, nothing else at first.

_Fascinating… not. _

Then something caught his eye. It was a glow coming from his deck.

Upon closer examination, he found that it was three cards in his deck that were glowing. He took them out, and turned them over. They were his three Blue Eyes White Dragons.

Then three balls of energy separated themselves, one from each card. One was made of light, one of darkness, and the last one was red, the color of blood.

And then a flash of light obstructed Draken's view for a minute. When he could see again, he found himself staring at three Blue Eyes White Dragons.

The one that had formed from the light energy had, coincidentally, very light blue eyes. The dark energy one's eyes were a great deal darker. The blood red one looked the same as any other Blue Eyes.

"Greetings," said the light-eyed Blue Eyes. Its voice was rather gentle and quiet, not something you'd expect to hear from a dragon. "We have been waiting for you."

"W-what the heck is going on?" Draken exclaimed. "Who are you guys? I mean… I know you are Blue Eyes White Dragons… but what kind of… creatures are you? A monster from Teknisk Wereld? Something from my mind?"

"We are beings that were created for the sole purpose of speaking with you here," the dark-eyed one explained. Its voice was deeper than the first one's. "We will cease to exist when you leave this room. Well, our current forms will, anyway."

"Now I'm confused," Draken complained.

"You need not worry about that," assured the normal Blue Eyes. His voice was slightly deeper than the first Blue Eyes, but not as deep as the second one's. "Think of us as messengers. We need to inform you on some important things."

"Well, I'm listening."

"First, you must realize that each thing you and your friends have seen are important in their own way," the light-eyed one told him. "You may think some visions only apply to one person, and that may be true. But they will be vital to that one person, and every person in this group is significant."

"Which brings up the second point," the dark-eyed one continued. "Every person in your group is needed. You cannot lose even one for events of the future. For no matter how unimportant they seem, every one of you has a role to play. Some might not seem as essential as others, but in the end, they are. There will come times when your companions must separate for some time, but do not lose contact for too long. You must stick together."

"Third and final thing," the normal one said. "Each person is made up of certain elements, but the most important are light and darkness. Each person must have those two elements in balance, or they will eventually be consumed by the overruling element. Yes, this applies to both. Many view light as good and dark as evil… that view is not always accurate. So remember that light and darkness must be equal. For when light, darkness, and body are combined…"

Yet another flash of light filled the area. When Draken looked again, he found himself staring at a Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

"Then the person takes form," the dragon finished. Its voice was a combination of all three Blue Eyes White Dragon's voices-not the most natural thing to hear.

"And you say this will be important later?" Draken asked.

"Indeed. Do not forget what we have told you. It may sound like general advice, but there is a deeper meaning than you might think." The dragon fell silent for a minute, before starting to speak again. "Now that we have delivered our message… we must leave. The rest is up to you, and your companions. We wish you the best of luck, young one."

And then Draken was left alone in the stone room.

Draken stared over at the window. "Ok… that was… enlightening." He shrugged. "I guess it'll make sense later…"

…

"There you are," Hope said as Draken came out. "Did it go ok?"

"Yep. No problems for me," Draken replied as he let Darche out of his Soul Card.

"That means I'm up," Miles stated. "I'm curious to know what I'll see."

Gen vanished as Miles stepped over to the door.

…

Miles eyed the darkness.

_How anti-climatic… now what happens?_

Then he heard a voice.

"**Grasp your Soul Card."**

"What the heck!" Miles yelped, jumping back. "Who's there?"

Nobody answered him this time.

"Gee, thanks for that small piece of wisdom," Miles muttered. He looked around the area again. "Well, I don't have much of a choice, do I? Might as well follow the instruction." He reached into his pocket and grasped the card without taking it out.

Almost at once, a vision formed in front of him. A boy in his teens was speaking to a man who looked to be in his early thirties. But what got Miles was that the boy was himself. But who was the man? He looked familiar… his light brown hair, his soft blue eyes, the red bandana around his neck…

_Is this… a memory? One I've forgotten? Am I getting back my memory!_

"Dad, why are you accepting this? Raven's just trying to cause trouble! You don't need to risk yourself! Please dad, reconsider!" Miles pleaded.

_Raven? That's the name that other guy… Robin… mentioned! Wait… I called that man… dad? He's my father? Yes… he is! I remember now… at least, I remember that much…_

"I know the danger in this," his father replied calmly. "But I am not doing this for my own sake. I'm doing it for his. He needs to learn that he can, and will, be able to lose games."

"But why?"

"Because if he thinks he is invincible, even over such a petty matter, then he will not make it very far in life. There are some things you just… cannot win." He fell silent.

Miles stared at him. "Do you mean… mother?"

"…Yes. Death is a vicious opponent… sometimes, you may win battles with him, but he will always manage to beat you, someday."

Miles turned away, trying to hide the tears he was shedding.

His father embraced him. "It will be fine… do not worry."

Then the scene changed. A crowd had gathered around two duelists. One was Miles' father. The other had black hair and green eyes. Miles was standing behind his father, watching in a cross between horror and fascination. Behind the other man was Robin.

_So that's Raven… yeah. I recognize him now…_

"It just can't be! I couldn't have… lost to… such weaklings…" Raven's protests were cut off when he started coughing up blood.

Miles' father had a rather large wound over his shoulder, but he was ignoring it. He also had several smaller wounds covering him. But Raven was in a much worse state, having two cuts over his stomach, like an X, along with other numerous injuries.

"Some do not have the power to fight a battle head to head," Miles' father told him. "So the weaker improvise, using skill to win. You did not plan your attack very well, just leaping in without thinking. No matter how frail one is, they have a chance of winning as long as they can outsmart their opponent. That is how my weaker, low attack monsters managed to defeat yours."

Raven glared at him. "This isn't over!"

"I believe it is. And we did have a deal, if I recall." For the first time in the vision, his kind eyes turned harsh. "You are to never to speak with my son again. Leave him be, for he needs time to recover from the wounds to his heart. They will scar, and never quite vanish, but they will be only made worse if he is being constantly injured in the same area."

"You are treading on thin ice!" Raven snarled. "I have agreed to not speak with him, and I won't! But I will not let this matter drop so easily!" Then he staggered off, Robin following.

A woman stepped forward and broke the silence that the crowd was in. "Alright, that's enough! The match is over! Quit staring at them as if they're animals in a zoo and move on!"

With several mutters and whispered conversations, the onlookers left. All that was left afterwards was his father, Miles himself, and the woman.

"Thanks Beth," his father said as he put his deck into his pocket.

"It isn't a problem." She looked over at where Raven had left nervously. "But please be careful, Luke. He could very well mean what he said."

"Alright, we will," he nodded.

_Yeah… that was my father's name. Luke. And that woman… Beth… she was one of our old neighborhood friends. She… worked at a library. Yes, my memory is coming back! But I can't remember what happens after this… that's odd. I feel like I don't _want _to remember what happens. But… why would that be? I must know… even if I don't want to see it._

As that thought crossed his mind, the vision faded, and was replaced with another. Miles was kneeling on the floor, next to someone lying on it.

Miles stared in shock at who it was. His father was lying on the ground, a knife through his heart.

"N-no… it can't be…" Miles could not tear himself away from the gruesome scene.

Raven was above him, panting slightly. "That old fool… if he had not kept acting like he knew everything in the universe, maybe I would have spared him. But he's all talk… except for when he said he was weak. That was certainly true… heh…"

The Miles in the vision was crying in sorrow, but also… in rage. Miles could remember how he had felt then… his world had been torn apart by one teenager…

And he watched as his vision counterpart suddenly grabbed the knife, pulling it from his father's chest, and stabbed Raven through his own heart.

Raven tried to cry out, but choked on his own blood, and collapsed. Miles fell back, shaking. He could have stayed… it was just self defense, that was all, he wouldn't get in trouble for it… but there was no point without his father. None whatsoever.

He reached over and untied his father's bandana from around his neck, and pocketed it. He also grabbed his father's deck. He cared about him too much to leave those items. Taking one last look at Luke, he left.

He ran out the back door and through the yard. He didn't want anyone to see him, to question why he was out at this time of night.

It was when he reached the bakery that it happened. He heard someone coming, and turned to see who it was. To his horror, it was Robin.

Without a second thought, he ran into the bakery. The person who usually ran it, a man named Brad, was gone at the moment. Miles was grateful for that. He looked around the room, where there was a fire place. He looked around the room, and saw a smoke detector near the entrance to the kitchen.

"Good…" he muttered before grabbing a pair of tongs nearby the fire place and seizing a burning log. Then he tossed it over to the hall, underneath the smoke detector, and ran through the kitchen, out the back door.

He quickly hid behind a tree as he saw Brad walk past, going back to his bakery, and then ran for it. He didn't want to cause Brad any harm-he was a nice guy and all. But he had to have a distraction so that Robin and anyone else would not be worried about him. Hopefully, it would be put under control before it got too severe.

Then a huge explosion caused him to turn. The bakery-or what was left of it-was now completely engulfed in flames. But that wasn't the only one. The buildings next to it had been caught in the explosion, and the flames had spread. The entire town was going up in flames.

"No…" Miles whispered. "How… how did this happen...? What… have I done…?"

The real Miles stared into the flames. Now he was sure of it. He had killed everyone. Except for himself and Robin.

For Robin was charging out of the burning area, a steel sword glinting from the fire.

"YOU BASTARD! WHY! WHY DID YOU DO THIS!" He indicated to the fire. "WHY!"

"…I… I…" Miles couldn't bring himself to explain.

"MONSTER! YOU'LL BURN AS WELL… IN THE FLAMES OF HELL!"

The sword descended upon him. He tried to move out of the way, but he felt frozen. His neck exploded with pain, his scream of agony a terrible thing to hear.

Blood loss was effecting him, but he could still make out the dim outline of Robin, his green eyes showing sorrow and a mad desire for vengeance.

It filled his heart with a fear he had never felt before. He couldn't think. He was sure he would die.

But his body acted automatically. He leapt away blindly, barely avoiding the sword again, and fled. He felt dizzy, but he kept running… he couldn't stop, or he'd die…

Then he woke up. He was in a forest, a man sitting beside him. He wore a white cloak, hiding his features.

"So you've survived. I wasn't sure if you would make it. Well, the wound was shallow, so it just looks worse than it is. You were quite lucky."

Miles sat up slowly. "I…"

"Were you from the village that burned down?"

"Y-yes… it was my fault… all my fault…" he sobbed. "I… I killed everyone… he's right… I'm a monster… I don't deserve to live…"

The man did not interrupt him. When Miles fell silent, he finally spoke again.

"You say that you want to die?"

"…Y-yes…"

"There is another thing you could do," the man offered. "It would be a solution that would bring you peace of mind… if you want to call it that. Are you interested?"

_I have nothing to lose… that's what I thought then…_

"…Alright… what do I have to do?"

"Just relax… it will be over shortly…" Then the man brought his palm up to Miles' forehead. And his golden cross began to glow…

_And then… I lost it. My memory. Gone. He stole it from me. And told me that I was to work with them… _

The vision faded, leaving him in the room. He collapsed to his knees, shaking.

"No…" he said out loud. "No… no… I didn't do it… I couldn't have… it's impossible… why… it just… I… no… I... didn't want anyone to die! I didn't do it… it's not my fault… no… I'm… not to blame… it's… just an illusion… but I remember it! The flames… the blood… the pain… no… too much pain… NO!"

…

Draken looked over at the door. "Miles is taking longer than any of us so far. Do you think he's ok?"

Before any of them could answer, the door opened, and Miles staggered out, collapsing to the floor. The door silently shut behind him.

"Miles! What's wrong?" Larka asked, running over to him. The others were startled to see him crying uncontrollably.

"I didn't do it… it wasn't me… no… no… please… no… say it was all a lie… tell me it was all a lie…!"

Larka knelt down beside him. "Miles? We can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. Please, tell us."

Miles didn't seem to hear her. She reached into his pocket and pulled out his Soul Card. Gen emerged instantly.

"What is going on?" he asked, looking over at his companion. "Miles!" He also knelt down. "Miles, what's going on? Are you hurt?"

"…Gen… tell me… tell me I didn't do it! Please tell me it wasn't my fault!" he cried, burying his head into his Soul Monster's shoulder to hide his tears.

"Relax. It'll be fine…" Gen tried to comfort him.

Brandi shook her head. "It's odd. The things I saw certainly weren't what I'd call pleasant, but none of us have come out looking like this."

"That room can show anything," the man said. "It may be your greatest desire, or your darkest fear."

Hope glanced at it nervously. "And I'm the one who has to go in now… since I'm the last one down here."

"You'll be fine," Gaston assured before vanishing.

She stepped up to the door, and cautiously pulled it open.

…

At first, it was dark, like usual. But then Hope saw something ahead. She walked over to it.

It was a wooden cross. And Max was bound to it. Numerous wounds were all over him, still bleeding. Much of his body and clothes were already stained red. He was unconscious, but his expression remained: one of pain.

Hope stopped, staring in horror at him. "What… what is this?"

"Your friend has suffered much pain."

A girl appeared next to the cross, someone Hope recognized instantly.

"Alene!"

"Yes… I have come to tell you of what you must do." Alene looked over at Max. "He has faced many ordeals, and the wounds do not fade easily. When they do scar over, another cut causes them to reopen. He is constantly losing his blood, or life force, or will to go on. What binds him is life itself. He cannot hope to escape pain… not while he is here."

"Isn't there a way to help him?" Hope asked.

"Yes… and in your heart, you know how." Alene sighed. "This has been a short conversation, but I do not have much time out of heaven. I must go back. But I wanted to tell you something else."

"…?"

"Hope, you think of Satan as your enemy, do you not?"

"Of course," she said.

"What if you did not? What if you actually cared about him?"

"…What?" Hope asked in confusion.

"I am sorry, but I cannot stay. Good luck Hope." Then she vanished.

Hope looked back over at Max. _Yes… and in your heart, you know how._ Alene was right. She did know how.

She walked over to Max, and put her hand over his heart. Light began to come out of her hand, spreading over Max. His wounds stopped bleeding, and began to close. Scars remained, but he was healing.

Then another flash of light blinded her. And she was left in the stone room.

Hope stared at the cross. "Alene… what were you trying to tell me?"

…

"Did you get through it ok?" Larka asked.

"Yes." Hope called forth Gaston. "How are you doing, Miles?"

He looked over at her, but did not answer.

"He's stopped crying, at least," Draken informed her. "But he refuses to speak to us."

"Oh…"

Hope looked over at Ruecian. "What about him?"

"He may go through without an ordeal," the man said.

Ruecian walked in, and then came out of the other door almost instantly.

The man looked over at them. "Well done. You have all passed. Now you may proceed through the door. Be warned-your opponent will be there." He stepped in front of the cross, to be below them. "The rest is up to you. I must leave."

"Wait!" Hope exclaimed. "After what we've had to go through… can't you at least tell us who you are?"

The man smiled slightly. "Very well.

Two beautiful, white wings came out of his back. Everyone was too startled to say anything.

"I am Gabriel. Go with God." Then he vanished.

To be continued…


	30. Wrath of the Soldier

Yay! This arc is finally over! Enjoy the conclusion!

John: Wow indeed.

**Chapter 30: Wrath of the Soldier**

Everyone stared at where Gabriel had been in silence.

"That was… unexpected," Draken stated.

"Hm… this must be more important than any of us guessed if God's messenger would come down to talk with us," Will murmured.

"Indeed," Daine agreed.

Gaston looked over at the door. "Maybe we can discuss this later? For all we know, Rue could be dying now."

"Yeah, we should hurry," Larka nodded. "Miles? Do you want to stay here?"

Miles shook his head, standing up unsteadily while Gen held onto his arm.

"He'll be fine, after a while," Gen told her.

"Then let's get through with this," Neo suggested. "Who wants to do the honors in opening the door?"

"I will," Hope volunteered. She reached over and pulled it open.

-----

_I know that I have a huge chance of dying about now, but I can't help but feel bored,_ Rue thought in disgust.

He had been hanging on the cross for way too long. His circulation had died a while back, and he couldn't even try to guess how long he had been here.

Then he heard someone approaching. Unfortunately, they were coming from behind him, and in his position, he could not turn around to see who it was.

The figure stepped into view. This didn't help matters much though, because he was covered by the standard white cloak. His gold cross could be seen though.

"Ah, I see that you are awake… good. That means we can begin."

"What are you planning on doing?" Rue inquired.

The Commander took out a dagger and ran his finger down the blade carefully, testing its sharpness. "You have been brought here for one reason: to be sacrificed."

"…Well, that explains my position," Rue muttered. "But a sacrifice? Why use me as a sacrifice?"

"I am well aware that you have a demon living inside of you." At those words, Rue thought he felt something… _shift_… inside of him, but could not be sure. "These dark powers will make you the perfect offering."

"I'm honored," Rue said dryly. _Terrific.__ How am I going to get myself out of this one?_

"A procedure must be followed, of course. Which is why you are still alive at this moment. But soon, you will be… what was that?!"

He spun around to look at the dark area Rue had assumed was a portal of some kind. Someone was stepping through it. That person turned out to be…

"Hope!" Rue exclaimed.

"Thank goodness! We made it in time!" she said in relief, stepping out of the portal. The others in the group followed.

"Nice decor," Draken commented. "Makes the atmosphere perfect, especially for this occasion."

The Commander did not seem pleased. "How irritating. You've arrived far too early."

"Sorry if we interrupted anything important," Gaston said sarcastically.

"I suppose I will just have to kill all of you first," the Commander decided, sheathing his knife. "Here is how it will work. I challenge one of you to a duel. If you win, I will perish, and you will be able to leave with your friend. But if I am the victor, then all of you die."

"Isn't that just a little cheap?" Neo pointed out.

"You forget that I hold the upper hand here, seeing as this boy's life is in my hand's."

Ruecian kept fingering the hilt of his sword, as though he wanted nothing more than to slice the Commander into several pieces.

"Being a hostage really sucks," Rue sighed.

"Fine. We'll play by your rules," Will said. "But which one of us will duel you?"

"It doesn't matter to me."

Max stepped forward immediately. "Let me duel then. I want revenge for what your henchmen did to me."

"Ah… you were the one that we tried to kill, aren't you? But you lived, one way or another."

"With amnesia, but I recovered," Max explained. "However, I'm still not about to forgive you easily."

"I see. Then prepare to duel. If you win, you will certainly have your vengeance."

"I have two questions," Larka said. "First of all, you're the leader of the Commanders, correct?"

"Yes, I am."

"What is your name?"

"Kouten will do. Now, enough stalling. Let us begin."

Max: 8000

Kouten: 8000

"I will make the first move, if you do not mind," Kouten said.

"Just hurry up."

"I set one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"I start by drawing Demon Soldier. This triggers Olympion's effect. He does 500 damage to you, and I draw another card."

Max: 8000

Kouten: 7500

"I'll summon Demon Soldier (1900/1500) and attack your defense monster."

"It's my Lord Poison. (1500/1000) Is that all?"

"I lay one card down, and then end my turn."

"I lay another monster in defense mode, and a card face down before ending my turn."

Draken shook his head. "This is sad. All he's doing is playing monsters in defense mode."

Will glanced at the field. "I'd be careful if I was Max. Kouten is obviously planning something."

"I summon Cursed Gyura. (1500/800) Demon Soldier attacks your defense monster."

"Rekunga is destroyed. (1700/500)"

"And Cursed Gyura attacks directly! That's all for me."

Max: 8000

Kouten: 6000

"I'll just lay another monster in defense mode," Kouten said with a small sneer.

_What is he planning?_ "I drew Gil Gars. Olympion's Deck Master ability activates again. You take 500, I draw…"

Max: 8000

Kouten: 5500

"I'll summon Gil Gars. (1800/1200) Demon Soldier attacks your defense monster."

"It is another Lord Poison. (1500/1000) This time, his special ability is activated. When destroyed in battle, I am allowed to special summon one Plant Sub-Type from my Cemetery to the field, as long as it is not another Lord Poison. So I special summon Rekunga in attack mode. (1700/500)"

"Fine by me. Gil Gars destroys it, and Cursed Gyura attacks once more! I'll lay one card down. Then I'm done."

Max: 8000

Kouten: 3900

"Alright, enough of this," Kouten said. "I will start by activating Foolish Burial. This allows me to take my last Lord Poison from my deck and send it directly to the Cemetery. Then I play Angel's Gift, to draw three cards and discard two. I'll choose to discard another Rekunga and my Kuribo. After that, I activate Black Hole, destroying all of your monsters."

"Damn it," Max growled.

"Then I activate Cry of the Living Dead on Rekunga. (1700/500) Then I will activate Rekunga's effect. By removing two Water Main-Types from my Cemetery, I get to place a Rekunga Token on my field, in attack mode. So I remove all three of my Lord Poisons and my other Rekunga for two Rekunga Tokens. (700/700) Then I will sacrifice all three of my monsters… for Immense Divine Soldier of Obelisk!"

"What?!" Draken yelped. "Isn't that…?!"

The Rekunga and its two seedlings vanished. Then something glinted up in the grey clouds, before the object came flying down too fast to see. It crashed into the ground, sending dust everywhere, covering the field so that nothing could be seen… except two blood-red eyes.

Then the dust settled, and they could see the monster. Its whole body was blue, except for its white teeth and red eyes. Even the spikes and jewel on its forehead were blue. Its head also had a deadly design of several spikes. It was so tall that it was forced to kneel on the ground so that the others could see it completely. But then it stood, causing them all to be dwarfed by its sheer height.

It was the god card from the center portrait. This was Immense Divine Soldier Obelisk. (4000/4000)

Max was frozen, staring at it in terror. Even the bravest man would have felt much fear if this creature suddenly was facing them. But it was awakening a horrible memory from within Max…

_A big, blue monster… I should have realized this sooner!_ Hope thought. _It's Obelisk! Max has faced Obelisk before, and it nearly killed him!_

Normally, Hope would have been more worried. But something odd was happening. She felt as though she had seen this creature before… as if it was very, very familiar to her. As though she were… bonded, that was the word… with it. She looked down at her orb and saw, to her surprise, that it was glowing very brightly. The light was shining for one second, then replaced by darkness, only to have the light overwhelm it again…

"Good god!" Neo exclaimed.

"So he… had a god card all along…" Zack said.

"And he just broke the seal on it. Dear lord… Max is going to have a hell of a time fighting that guy off," Draken groaned.

"Max…" Brandi whispered.

"Impressive, isn't he?" the Commander smirked. "And that is without seeing his special ability. I activate Raise Dead, on Kuribo! (300/200)"

Max shakily raised his hand to his Duel Disk. "No way in hell am I letting you get away with THAT again! I activate Destruction Ring, on Kuribo!"

The Kuribo was surrounded with a ring of grenades, and only had a chance to give out a small whimper before it was blown apart.

Max: 7700

Kouten: 3600

"It looks like you've learned your lesson from the first time you were beaten by Obelisk," Kouten said.

"What were you trying to do?" Larka questioned.

"By sacrificing two monsters, Obelisk can use an ability called God Hand Crusher. This destroys all of the opponent's monsters and deals the opponent 4000 damage. I was going to activate Multiply, so I would have four Kuribo to sacrifice to Obelisk, but that blasted Destruction Ring stopped me. No matter… Obelisk alone can take you out. Obelisk attacks!"

_Damn it… this is going to hurt…_ Max winced.

"Oh gosh…" Hope paled. "If Obelisk was behind Max's previous injuries… he doesn't stand a chance…!"

Obelisk slammed his fist into Max with great speed. He was sent flying back with a shout of pain, right at the gravestones.

"No!" Brandi cried, leaping behind her brother.

He crashed right into her, the force sending both of them into a tombstone with a sickening crunch. Brandi had taken most of the force of the blow though. She was now slumped against the gravestone, unconscious.

"Brandi!" he exclaimed, laying her on the grass.

Mana ran over as fast as she could, seeing as she was still weakened by the church. She looked over Brandi swiftly.

"It's no use… I think she has a concussion, and a broken back, but I can't heal her! My powers are off limits so close to the church!"

"Can't we do anything to help?" Larka asked desperately.

"If we leave this area, I should be able to use my healing powers again. So if Max wins this duel quickly enough, then she should be alright."

Max got up. "Then I'll just have to slaughter this bastard before it's too late…"

Max: 3700

Kouten: 3600

"What can you hope to do?" Kouten sneered. "Obelisk cannot be destroyed with any of your petty cards. Do you really think you can stand up to a god?"

"I can do more than that… I can destroy a god!" Max snarled.

"Oh really? And how do you think you can pull that off?"

"Just watch and learn!" Max said. He slowly drew his card, and looked at it. "You'll pay for what you did to her."

"Just try and destroy Obelisk. It won't work."

"We'll see about that! I start off by playing Cry of the Living Dead on Cursed Gyura! (1500/800) Then I play Raise Dead on Demon Soldier! (1900/1500)"

"You will get nowhere by mimicking me."

"I sacrifice Cursed Gyura and Demon Soldier to special summon Masked Beast Death Guardius! (3300/2500) Then I sacrifice Death Guardius for Great Demon Gaazetto! (0/0)"

"What good will that weakling do you?"

"Weakling? Care to rephrase that? Because Gaazetto's attack is two times the monster that I used to sacrifice for him. (6600/0)"

Kouten stumbled back. "What?!"

Max smiled coldly. "And I'm not done. I activate Force, to take away half of Obelisk's attack and give it to Gaazetto! (8600/0) (2000/4000)"

"Magic cards affect god cards? I thought they might be immune to it," Larka stated.

"Apparently, they aren't as high and mighty as we thought," Darche commented.

"And then I activate Shrink, to weaken him even further! (1000/4000)

Kouten definitely looked more nervous now.

"Now, Gaazetto attacks!"

Gaazetto rushed forward and punched Obelisk with his huge fist, and then leapt back.

Obelisk just stood there, growling slightly.

Kouten gave a somewhat shaky laugh. "It's no use! Obelisk is too strong to be defeated by such a pathetic monster! Only another god card would even stand a… what?!"

A small crack was appearing on Obelisk's chest, and is slowly began to spread over him. Then, with a sound that was like a cross between a screech and roar, the supposedly undefeatable god fell apart into several small pieces.

Max: 3700

Kouten: 0

"This can't be!" Kouten protested. "A god card can't be defeated that easily! It can't!"

"What do you think just happened?" Max smirked.

"I… no! It just can't be this way!"

"Quit being a sore loser," Gaston snarled.

"But… a god card… why…?"

Then a lightning bolt came down from the sky, slamming into Kouten. When the flash cleared, the others looked over to where he had been.

There was nothing left, except for a blue card that was lying on the ground.

"…That's that, I guess," Draken said.

Max walked forward and picked up Obelisk, looking over the card. "I'll hold on to this… we can't have it being played again."

"But once was enough to break the seal," Will pointed out. "I agree that Obelisk should not be summoned again, but that's one seal that's broken now. We have to find the other two before they are summoned as well."

"We have a few matters that are a bit more important at the moment," Rue said. "Such as getting Brandi out of here and healing her. And helping me off this cross, maybe?!"

"Oh, sorry!" Hope apologized.

Ruecian easily sliced the ropes apart. Rue nearly fell over, since his circulation had indeed died a while back, but Ruecian managed to grab his arm to help him keep his balance.

Max carefully lifted Brandi. "Let's leave."

"I'll second that gladly," Rue agreed.

Without further conversation, they all walked back through the portal, all thinking about what they had seen happen.

-----

They emerged on the balcony of the church.

"I hope we won't have to go through another ordeal on the way out," Larka said nervously.

"I doubt it," Hope replied. "I think that was a one time only thing."

It appeared that she was right. They left the room easily, and after Rue had a few moments to gaze at the pictures, were soon standing next to the front door.

"Is this how we are to leave?" Draken guessed.

"Most likely," Zack stated.

"Then let's get out of here," Hope suggested. She stepped up to the door, and pushed it open.

-----

The five people were sitting by the lake's edge, waiting for their friends to return. But it had been a few hours already, and their worries grew for each passing second.

"I can't stand this!" Amy exclaimed suddenly. "We don't even know if they are alive or dead right now! Isn't there any way we can check on them or something?!"

"Sure, seeing as we are right here," Draken joked.

They spun around to see the group standing by the lake. Amy blushed slightly.

"Whoops, didn't know you guys were back," she said sheepishly. "So, how did it go?"

"It certainly could have been worse," Rue commented. By now he had managed to be able to walk without leaning on Ruecian the whole time.

He nearly lost that ability when he was tackled by Claire though. "Rue! You're alright!"

"OW! I was alright, until you did that!"

"Oh, sorry!" She let him up, but her grin pretty much showed that she didn't regret what she had done.

"Any casualties?" Sarius asked.

"Well… Brandi was injured. But Mana is going to heal her now," Hope explained.

"Brandi was hurt? How?!" Matt demanded.

"By being thrown into a tombstone," Will explained.

"Say what?!"

Max laid Brandi onto the grass, and Mana put her hands on her companion. After a few minutes of exhausting work on Mana's part, Brandi's wounds were soon healing.

"So, where did you guys end up?" Sarius inquired.

"A church," Draken answered.

"A church? Wow. I'll have to check that out," he replied. "Since I hold the cross that acts as a key, I guess I could consider myself the owner of the place."

"Go ahead," Larka said. "I doubt any of us would care for it."

Amy looked over at Miles. "What is wrong with him?"

"We aren't sure," Gen confessed. "But he should be fine after some time.

By this time, Mana was done. She sat back, exhausted, as Brandi began to come around.

"Ow… what… happened?"

"Are you alright?" Max asked.

"I'm fine… Max! What about you?"

"Nothing serious," he shrugged.

Brandi looked over at the others, who seemed to not notice that she was awake yet. "Let's leave while they're distracted."

Max nodded, and he helped her up. They started to walk away, but…

"Hold on! Where are you guys going?" Hope called.

"We have stuff to take care of," Max answered. "So we're leaving."

"Not before you promise us something," Hope said.

"What do you want us to promise?" Brandi inquired.

"The whole reason this mess was started was because Max was gone for a month. I want both of you to contact us daily. Not only you two… but all of us should keep daily contact. If for some reason you don't, then we'll know something is wrong, and we can come and help."

"Daily?" Brandi questioned.

"Yes, daily! Promise me!"

"Alright, we'll do that, if you let us leave now," Brandi shrugged.

"Well then, contact us soon," Hope said.

They nodded, and then walked off.

"So what now?" Rue asked.

"Well… I guess you guys get to go home," Hope decided. "At least mom will be happy. But like I said, we should keep daily contact."

"But what about us?" Larka asked nervously. "Fell and I don't have a place to call home…"

"I do not have a location to stay at either," Zack stated.

"Well… if mom doesn't mind… maybe you guys can stay at my place for a while longer. Until you get your own home, anyway," Hope suggested.

"Thanks, that would be great!" Larka said. Malon barked in agreement.

"I appreciate it," Zack replied. "Thanks."

"And the rest of us are going to leave?" Draken asked. "Alright, can do. Shall we get going?"

"Yeah," Hope agreed. She turned to Matt. "Well, we'll see you later, since you won't be in the same location as us."

"Indeed," Matt nodded. "Bye guys." Then he teleported away.

"And we'll see you two later," Hope said to Sarius and the Child.

"Indeed. Goodbye, for now," Sarius replied.

"Ja ne minna," the Child said.

And the rest of them were soon gone.

Sarius looked over the cross before walking over to the lake edge and putting it into the water. As the portal formed, he leapt in, the Child and their Soul Monsters following.

-----

Sarius gazed around the church. "Quite an interesting area. The light energy in here is overwhelming."

He walked over to the front, where the three portraits were, and focused on the middle one.

"So… the group now knows of the three god cards. I wonder how long it will take for them to realize?"

The Child simply tossed the golden ball into the air before catching it again. What was unusual about it this time was that it was glowing slightly.

"Someday… they will know." Sarius looked over at the door to the room where the ordeals had been. "I am quite curious to explore this church some more, but there are things to be done. Let us go, Child. We'll come back later. For now… we need to take care of some business."

"Hai, Tirran-sama."

Then they left, leaving the quiet church.

What they did not notice about the center portrait was that Obelisk's eyes seemed so much more alive than the other two gods', as though it had been awakened from a long sleep.

**_THE END_**


	31. Author's Note and Credits

**Author's Note and Credits**

Alright! Teknisk Wereld v2 is finally complete! But like before, I could not have finished this without much help! And here is where I award credit to where it is due!

Katal Blader: For Rue, Ruecian, Claire, Perseus, and their decks.

CyberTigerAngel: For Will, Neo, and Will's deck. And for his Redwall knowledge.

HikotageNoInyou: For Sarius, Raid, the Child, Cyrus, Juno, and Zork. (Although Juno and Zork didn't appear this arc) Also for their amazing pasts. What are those? You'll have to wait! He also proof-read much of my work. Thanks for pointing out my mistakes!

DarkChiWizard22: Geez, he's done a lot. Max, Olympion, Brandi, Mana, Randall, Matt, Masque, Abby, Hime, Chasity, Ender, and their past is all done by him. And their decks. He also pointed out several errors, and helped me understand Obelisk somewhat. All the way to the top dude! Oh, and now that I think about it, he's the one who made me write this. He said he didn't think I could write serious fics. Look who proved you wrong! -Is shot-

Julia, Samuel, Toan, and Josh: For being great friends! Oh, and for your love of cows Toan. =P

Caleb, ifrit, and Buster Blader: Thanks for doing really lame things in duels for me to comment on!

David Clement: This guy wrote a book called The Sight that had two wolves called Fell and Larka, who were brother and sister. Those names were some of my favorites, so I named my two characters after them. I offer thanks for his awesome work! (He also wrote Fire Bringer, which is another good book)

Whoever created Xenosaga: I based Zack's design off a character from here. (The character was Ziggy, in case you ever play it or something) So thanks to whoever created him, because his design rocks!

Edo's: His website has every translation I have used, and I am extremely grateful he made it!

Free Translations: For many of the names of the Generals of Hell and Commanders of Heaven.

Whoever the heck created Yu-Gi-Oh: Obvious!

Brian Jacques, Christopher Paolini, and Brad Stroker: For writing the Redwall series, Eragon, and Dracula!

Video Game Designers: For making the video games I mentioned.

Odinbalz: For hosting Triple Triad Advance. That game owns.

All of my reviewers, here and on the Yu-Gi-Oh Social Board: Thanks for the positive remarks, and reading this whole thing! You guys and girls rule!

A few names I would like to mention: Artemis of the Moon, Whispering Hope, Zander, Yugifan, =P, LunaticChaos, ArchSaugim, Dragran, john, Demon Fan, and Captain Obvious! Thank you all for reviewing this story! 90 reviews is something to be very proud of, and I am honored you all found my story that interesting!

And, last and least, Nokia: For creating the N-Gage for me to bash on! (Although I didn't get the chance to in this story…)

Of course, the story can't end THAT easily. I mean, we've got way too many loose ends, Will's vision, and two more god cards! So guess what? Another sequel is coming! I expect to have it up on Friday. I would be quite grateful if you guys checked up on it!

Again, thank you all for reading! I look forward to seeing you all read my next story (hopefully)!

-Puts up a sign that says The End on it-

Kuribo: -Chases Demon Rue-

Demon Rue: LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY!

…Ok, that's it folks.


End file.
